KWEKWE: Omair Bin Yousuf returned unbeaten on 250 as Pakistan Shaheens declared their first innings on 521-3 against Zimbabwe ‘A’ on the second day of the first four-day match here at the Kwekwe Sports Club on Thursday.

At stumps, Zimbabwe A were 112-4 in 41 overs with captain Roy Kaia returning unbeaten on 12. Dion Myers was the notable run-getter for his side, scoring 56 off 92 deliveries, which included eight fours and one six. He and opener Tanunurwa Makoni (21 off 59, two fours) knitted 64 runs for the second wicket.

Both batters fell to left-arm spinner Mehran Mumtaz, who completed the day with figures of 2-32 in 11 overs. Both Joylord Gumble and Wessly Madhevere were run-out.

Earlier, resuming their first innings at the overnight score of 352-2, with Omair Bin Yousuf on 161 and Kamran Ghulam on five, Pakistan Shaheens lost the latter (26 off 70 balls, four fours) in the 88th over with 388 runs on the board.

After the departure of Kamran, vice-captain Hussain Talat joined Omair and the pair stitched an unbroken 133 runs for the fourth wicket. Over the course of the partnership, the 24-year-old Omair brought up his maiden first-class double-century.

When Imran Butt called the declaration in the 116th over of the innings, Omair was unbeaten on 250 off 342 balls, smashing 27 fours and a six. Hussain returned undefeated on 51 off 90 while hitting six fours and a six.

Scores in brief:

PAKISTAN SHAHEENS 521-3 (decl.) in 115.3 overs (Omair Bin Yousuf 250 all out, Mohammad Huraira 178, Hussain Talat 51 not out); ZIMBABWE ‘A’ 112-4 in 41 overs (Dion Myers 56; Mehran Mumtaz 2-32).

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2023