Abbas Afridi's five-fer leads Shaheens to eight-wicket win

Islamabad: Right-arm fast bowler Mohammad Abbas Afridi’s five-wicket haul and half-centuries by Haseebullah and Usman Khan guided Pakistan Shaheens to an eight-wicket win over Bangladesh ‘A’ in the first one-day at the Islamabad Club on Monday.

The win gives Shaheens’ a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The second match will be played at the same venue on Wednesday, 28 August, with the first ball to be bowled at 9.30am.

After opting to field, Pakistan Shaheens bundled out the visiting team for 183 runs in 36 overs. Abbas was the pick of the bowlers, with match figures of 9-0-38-5. This was Abbas’ second five-fer in 22 List-A matches. Left-arm pacer Jahandad Khan (2-51) and left-arm spinner Mehran Mumtaz (2-29) equally supported Abbas as only Saif Hassan (58, 47b, 10x4s, 1x6) managed to score a half-century for Bangladesh ‘A’. Rishad Hossain coming to bat at number nine was the other notable run-getter, scoring 40 off 37 balls, hitting four fours and two sixes.

In turn, Shaheens’ achieved the target in 27.5 overs courtesy a 129-run partnership between Haseebullah and Usman for the second wicket. Left-handed opening batter Haseebullah returned undefeated on 73 off 81 balls, smashing seven fours and two sixes. Right-handed batter Usman fell 13 runs short of his first List-A century. His innings included eight boundaries and five towering sixes, which came of 60 balls. Omair Bin Yousuf also returned unbeaten on 14 off 19, adding an unbroken 42-run partnership for the third wicket with Haseebullah.

For Bangladesh ‘A’, Mahedi Hasan and Mosaddek Hossain snapped a wicket each.

Scores in brief:

Pakistan Shaheens beat Bangladesh ‘A’ by eight wickets

Bangladesh A 183 all out, 36 overs (Saif Hassan 58, Rishad Hossain 40; Mohammad Abbas Afridi 5-38, Mehran Mumtaz 2-29, Jahandad Khan 2-51)

Pakistan Shaheens 184-2, 27.5 overs (Usman Khan 87, Haseebullah 73 not out; Mosaddek Hossain 1-15, Mahedi Hasan 1-19)

Player of the match – Mohammad Abbas Afridi (Pakistan Shaheens)