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Pakistan A too strong for Sri Lanka A in Tri-series opener

18 July 2016

Pakistan A started the triangular series that also involves the England Lions with a convincing eight wicket victory over Sri Lanka A at the Brewin Dolphin Cheltenham Festival.

On a warm day closer to conditions in Karachi or Colombo, Sri Lanka A were dismissed for 199 having been put into bat, although they failed to use 12 of their allotted 50 overs.

It meant Pakistan A had to bat for an awkward period before lunch, but they made light of it reaching 45-0 at the interval, and then pressed on effortlessly towards victory with openers Sharjeel Khan and Fakhar Zaman adding 155 together for the first wicket.

Runs came at a brisk pace throughout this duel of the subcontinent despite a slow over rate during the first hour. Hasan Ali and Mohammad Abbas shared the new ball, the latter bowling in a style reminiscent of a traditional English medium pacer and he broke the opening stand by having wicket keeper Niroshan Dickwella caught at point off a top edge.

Hasan Ali went wicketless throughout the Sri Lanka A innings, but he was to be a major figure in the field with four catches, three of them at long on where he showed his calmness under the high ball. All four were also off the same bowler, left arm spinner Muhammad Asghar bowling straight through his spell and finishing with     4-41.

The Sri Lankans continually went for their shots despite wickets falling at regular intervals. The most threatening stand was between Bhanuka Rajapaksa and their captain Ashan Priyanjan, who added 44 for the fourth wicket until Rajapaksa fell victim to the Hasan Ali/Muhammad Asghar double act.

The spinner's consistency allowed Pakistan A captain Baber Azam to bowl his quicker bowlers from the other end, and both Hasan Ali and Bilawal Bhatti showed lively pace, Bhatti picking up two late wickets. Angelo Perera was the most patient of the Sri Lankan middle order, top scoring with 35 until he was lbw to Mohammad Abbas in his second spell.

Faced with a modest rate of four an over in pursuit of victory, left handers Shajeel Khan and Fakhar Zaman set out with little scoreboard pressure. The Sri Lankan opening bowlers Thisara Perera and Lahiru Gamage bowled tidly but lacked the same zip as their opponents, Khan having the power to play some aggressive shots with limited foot movement.

Sri Lankan skipper Ashan Priyanjan introduced one of his battery of spinners before lunch, but there was no breakthrough and 45-0 represented a comfortable start. Six bowlers had been used before the fielding restrictions were relaxed and little was beating the bat, Fakhar Zaman hitting wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan over long on for six.

The burly figure of Sharjeel Khan was the first to reach his fifty, made at a run a ball with eight fours and two sixes. This was the cue for the T20 international to go into overdrive taking 22 off an over from Pathirana, although two of the three sixes might have been caught had the fielders been right on the rope.

A century looked there for the taking only for Rajitha to remove him for 90 with the aid of a catch at mid on by Rajapaksa. Fakhar Raman completed his half century too (57 balls, with five fours and two sixes) before also falling to Rajitha after mistiming a drive to Udawatte at cover.

Wicket keeper Umar Saddid and Abdul Rehman Muzammil completed Pakistan A's win with more than 16 overs in hand, and on this evidence they have the talent to give the England Lions a very competitive game in Wednesday's match at the College Ground.

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