Kashif, Khurram put Pakistan Shaheens in command against Sri Lanka 'A'

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Shaheens’ pace duo of Kashif Ali and Khurram Shehzad shared nine wickets between them to book Sri Lanka ‘A’ for a meagre 115 on the opening day of the first four-day match here at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday.

At the close of play, Pakistan were 66/2, trailing by further 49 runs.

Put into bat first, Kashif Ali ran through the visitors’ top order and reduced them to 14/4 in 7.4 overs.

Following the early debacle, skipper Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Sonal Dinusha launched a brief recovery with a cautious 51-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Hussain Talat broke the budding partnership by getting rid of Sooriyabandara in the 20th over. The Sri Lankan captain scored 28 off 40 deliveries with the help of one boundary.

The touring side went to lunch break being 90/6 with their mainstay Dinusha still at the crease.

Dinusha, however, perished soon after the break as he fell victim to Khurram in the 28th over. He remained the top-scorer for Sri Lanka ‘A’ with a gutsy 30 off 66 deliveries, hitting two boundaries.

His dismissal exposed the touring side’s toothless batting tail, which was swept away by the pace duo of Khurram and Kashif.

Kashif was the standout bowler for the Shaheens, registering a five-wicket haul. He was closely followed by Khurram, who bagged four wickets, while Hussain Talat made one scalp.

In response, the Shaheens could amass 66/2 as the bad light forced an early closure of the opening day’s play.

The hosts had a shaky start to their innings as their captain Mohammad Huraira perished in the seventh over after scoring a mere seven.

His opening partner Abdul Faseeh, on the other hand, fell victim to Wanuja Sahan in the 20th over after putting on a 34-run partnership for the second wicket with fellow southpaw Ali Zaryab.

Ali and Mohammad Suleman, unbeaten on 18 and 11 respectively, will resume Pakistan Shaheens’ first innings on the second day of the opening four-dayer.