ABU DHABI // Pakistan A scored a four-wicket win over England Lions to prevent a whitewash in their three-match Twenty20 series. Craig Kieswetter top scored for the Lions with 50 off 32 balls, including five fours and three sixes, before being stumped by Naeem Anjum off Abdur Rehman as they posted a score of 146 for four. Pakistan A reached 149 for six with one ball to spare at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Steve Kirby took three wickets, including those of Umair Khan (49) and Aamer Sajjad (23) in successive overs, to give the Lions hope. But Tanvir Ahmed's boundary off Sajid Mahmood earned Pakistan A, who needed six off the last five balls, victory. Andrew Gale, Lions captain, scored 36 and Ian Bell 17, while there was a wicket apiece for Steven Finn and Adil Rashid. The Lions face the senior England side today, while Pakistan A also take on their senior team.
Both matches will be played at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, starting at 2pm then 7.30pm. Afghanistan maintained the momentum from their World Twenty20 Qualifier win with a one-run 50-over victory over Canada in Sharjah yesterday. Afghanistan, put in to bat first after Canada won the toss, posted a score of 289 for six. They lost their first wicket in just the fourth over when opener Karim Sadiq was caught by Rizwan Cheema off the bowling of Khurram Chohan without contributing a run.
Luckily for Sadiq, his fellow opener Noor Ali scored 114 and his replacement Mohammad Sahzad hit 118 to set Afghanistan on their way. Canada's scoring was more balanced, with Ashish Bagai's 91 setting up a tight finish. But, with four runs needed from the final ball for the North Americans to clinch victory Chohan could score only two to finish on 288 for seven. @Email:sports@thenational.ae
