KARACHI, Aug 1: Paceman Umar Gul injured his bowling arm on Wednesday as Pakistan Tigers registered a facile five-wicket victory over Pakistan Panthers in the fifth game of the ongoing Twenty20 series of practice matches at the National Stadium here on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old, regarded as one of Pakistan’s brightest pace bowling hopes, bowled just nine deliveries during which he was hit all over the place for 27 runs before leaving the field with a strain in his right arm. The official word from the team management was that Umar would not take any part in Thursday’s morning fixture but may play in the day/night fixtures at the weekend.
In fact, it was a blessing in disguise for Umar who otherwise looked innocuous during his brief stint at the bowling crease. Mohammad Hafeez clattered four successive boundaries in the bowler’s opening over that yielded 19 runs.
Hafeez was on song as he crashed nine fours and one six in making 49 off 21 deliveries. The opener didn’t spare Mohammad Asif either as he blasted the fast bowler’s three balls of his third over for 4,6 and 4. Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan captain, also struck a boundary in the same over in which 20 runs were scored.
Asif, who led the Panthers in this game, was allowed to bowl an extra over with the consent of Shoaib. But he too, was wavered in line and length and gave away 57 runs in five overs. His solitary victim was Hafeez, caught at long-off by Khurram Manzoor.
Shoaib ended up with an unbeaten 40 off 34 balls with five hits to the fence as Pakistan Tigers reached 178 for five in response to the rivals’ 174 for five.
A small crowd, however, saved its biggest cheer when that happy-go-lucky entertainer Shahid Afridi arrived at the crease at 102 for three in the 11th over. The 27-year-old all-rounder, in his characteristic style, bludgeoned 39 off 21 deliveries.
Afridi’s cameo was embellished with three sixes and a brace of fours before he became one of two victims of Fawad Alam’s left-arm spin as he under-edged a catch to wicketkeeper Amin-ur-Rehman while attempting an ambitious drive through extra-cover.
Afridi was particularly severe on Mohammad Irshad, rated as one of the quickest paceman among the current lot, as he smashed him for 18 runs. Irshad’s two overs went for 36 runs.
Despite the carnage, though, Abdul Rehman was brilliant in his four-over spell. Even Afridi was forced to pay respect to the slow left-armer’s nagging accuracy. Rehman, who conceded just 19 runs, sent back the in-form Salman Butt after the openers had added 72 inside seven overs. The Pakistan vice-captain scored 23.
Earlier, Imran Farhat nudged the national selectors with a timely 71. The left-handed opener, who has been out of favour since playing the final Test in South Africa last January, struck eight fours and two sixes in his 45-ball knock. Khalid Latif (32 off 35 balls) and Shahid Yousuf (30 off 22 balls) also made useful contributions.Mohammad Yousuf was a notable absentee on Wednesday. The country’s premier batsman left for Lahore on Tuesday to be with his mother who is unwell.
Shoaib Akhtar, who also didn’t play on Wednesday, spent the afternoon in the comfort of the dressing-room as he was still recuperating from the energy-sapping conditions which laid him low on Monday. It is still not certain whether the speedster would play in Thursday’s fixture, which starts at 10:00am.
Summarised scores:
PAKISTAN PANTHERS 174-5 in 20 overs (Imran Farhat 71, Khalid Latif 32, Shahid Yousuf 30; Najaf Shah 2-49); PAKISTAN TIGERS 178-5 in 18.5 overs (Mohammad Hafeez 49, Shoaib Malik 40 not out, Shahid Afridi 39, Salman Butt 23; Fawad Alam 2-21).