Akmal ton lifts Pakistan to 248
Thursday, 27 February 2014
Umar Akmal hit a fighting unbeaten century to lift defending champions Pakistan to 248-8 in their crucial Asia Cup match against a disciplined Afghanistan in Dhaka on Thursday. The 23-year-old right-hander led the recovery with a 89-ball 102, hitting a six off the penultimate delivery to complete his second one-day hundred. In all he hit seven boundaries and three sixes, helping Pakistan to put on 59 runs in the last five overs. Akmal led the fightback through a 60-run seventh wicket stand with Anwar Ali (21) to lift Pakistan from a precarious 117-6 in the 30th over. Mirwais Ashraf (2-29), Dawlat Zadran (2-73) and Samiullah Shinwari (2-34) had jolted the batting after Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi won the toss and opted to bowl on a slow Fatullah stadium pitch., according to espncricinfo.com.
Squads
Pakistan: Misbah-ul Haq (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Umar Gul, Anwar Ali.
Afghanistan: Mohammad Nabi(capt), Mohammad Shehzad, Nawroz Mangal, Asghar Stanikzai, Merwais Ashraf, Samiullah Shinwari, Dawlat Zadran, Shahpur Zadran, Amir Hamza, Najibullah Zadran, Noor Zardan.