BECKENHAM (England): All-rounder Imad Wasim led a late onslaught with the bat as Pakistan launched their England tour by reaching 358-7 against Kent at the Kent County Cricket Ground in Beckenham on Saturday.

The platform for Pakistan’s impressive total in the 50-over fixture was provided by the left-handed opening partnership of Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman who together put on 92 inside the first 15 overs after Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed had won the toss.

Imam was caught behind by Kent captain Adam Rouse off Zimbabwe-born seamer for 39 with his 47-ball innings containing three boundaries.

Star batsman Babar Azam then fell to the left-arm spin of Imran Qayyum for only nine before Fakhar’s blistering 59-ball knock of 76 (nine fours and one six) was also cut short by Imran, who also dismissed Sarfraz for 10.

Shoaib Malik’s hopes of a lengthy stay in the middle were dashed when the former Pakistan captain became Imran’s fourth victim, cleaned up for a seven-ball four.

Malik’s departure left Pakistan struggling at 164-5 midway through the 28th over. At this point Haris Sohail was joined by fellow left-hander Imad and together they took the attack to the bowlers in a brilliant stand of 155 off just 112 deliveries.

Haris, who scored 75 from 71 balls while striking six fours and one six, was dismissed by paceman James Harris at the start of the 47th over.

Imad pressed on the accelerator to reach only his second List A century in his 101st appearance before finishing on a career-best 117. The Swansea-born faced only 88 balls while hitting 13 boundaries and four sixes as he outscored Faheem Ashraf (17 off eight balls) during their partnership of 49 for the seventh wicket.

Imran was easily pick of the Kent bowlers with excellent figures of four for 45 in his 10 overs but new-ball pair of Harris and Harris and Fred Klaassen conceded as many as 175 runs from their combined tally of 20 overs.

Pakistan rested veteran batsman Mohammad Hafeez along with left-arm paceman Mohammad Amir, who was left out of 15-man preliminary squad for the World Cup, along with opener Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Mohammad Hasnain and Junaid Khan.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Imam-ul-Haq c Rouse b Snater 39
Fakhar Zaman c Snater b Imran 76
Babar Azam b Imran 9
Haris Sohail c Crawley b Harris 75
Sarfraz Ahmed c Klaassen b Imran 10
Shoaib Malik b Imran 4
Imad Wasim not out 117
Faheem Ashraf c Cox b Klaassen 17
Hasan Ali not out 0

EXTRAS (B-4, W-7) 11

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 358

FALL OF WKTS: 1-92, 2-123, 3-138, 4-152, 5-164, 7-303, 7-352.

DID NOT BAT: Yasir Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.

BOWLING: Harris 10-0-87-1 (4w); Klaassen 10-0-86-1 (1w); Snater 10-0-68-1 (1w); Riley 7-0-49-0; Imran Qayyum 10-0-45-4; Blake 3-0-19-0.

KENT: Z. Crawley, S.R. Dickson, O.G. Robinson, A.J. Blake, A.P. Rouse, J.M. Cox, J.A.R. Harris, S. Snater, Imran Qayyum, F.J. Klaassen, A.E. N. Riley.

UMPIRES: M. Newell and N.L. Bainton.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2019