Hafeez and Hasan set up seven-wicket win
Half-centuries from Mohammad Hafeez and Shahzaib Hasan helped Pakistan A beat Pakistan by seven wickets at the Gaddafi Stadium
Cricinfo staff
23-Mar-2010
A disciplined bowling performance, followed by half-centuries from Mohammad Hafeez and Shahzaib Hasan, helped Pakistan A beat Pakistan by seven wickets at the Gaddafi Stadium to win the Pakistan Day Twenty20 Challenge.
Hours after securing victory against the Under-19 side, Pakistan A's bowlers made inroads into the senior team's line-up, hampering their momentum after they had chosen to bat. A 65-run association for the second wicket was Pakistan's best partnership and they slid from 83 for 1 after 11 overs to 151 for 6. Abdur Rehman was the pick of the bowlers, taking 2 for 18 in four overs, while Mohammad Sami claimed 1 for 23. Khalid Latif, who was Hafeez's solitary wicket, was the innings' top scorer with 41.
Pakistan A lost Imran Farat, who had scored a century in the first game, cheaply during the chase but were steadied by a 90-run partnership for the second wicket between Hafeez and Shahzaib Hasan. Hafeez was dismissed for 55 and Hasan Raza fell shortly after, with the score on 118 for 3, but Shahzaib Hasan remained unbeaten on 67 to see his side through to the target.
Imran Farhat blitzed his way to a 56-ball 103 that lifted Pakistan A to 194, a score that proved 33 runs too many for Pakistan Under-19s, in the opening game of the Pakistan Day challenge trophy, in Lahore. Pakistan A were unstoppable after winning the toss, with Farhat and his captain Mohammad Hafeez putting the Under-19 attack to the sword. They added a mammoth 159 in 15.5 overs, before Ahmed Shahzad finally managed to dislodge Hafeez for a 45-ball 59. Three late wickets ensured that Pakistan A could not reach 200, but thanks to Farhat they already had a monumental score. He spanked 14 fours and 3 sixes, and Usman Qadir who went for 43 in three overs was the main sufferer.
Shehzad ensured that the youngsters gave the A side a fight, with a 51-ball 88 that included half-a-dozen sixes and fours each. But, Mohammad Sami returned commendable figures of 3 for 26 to ensure that Shehzad did not have any support from the other end. The Under-19s eventually finished at 161 for 6.