Pakistani top order batters hit form ahead of Tests

Saud Shakeel who scored 61 plays a shot on the onside.

Babar Azam drives during his innings of 79.

Lakshitha Manasinghe captured four Pakistani wickets.

Skipper Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel joined Shan Masood in scoring fifties for Pakistanis in their drawn two-day warm-up game against SLC President’s XI at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Cricket Stadium, Hambantota yesterday.

Following Shan Masood’s knock of 83 on the first day, Babar went onto score a pleasing 79 off 113 balls (7 fours, 1 six) before retiring out with the total on 286 to give his team mates a hit in the middle. Saud Shakeel also retired out at the same score after making 61 off 86 balls (6 fours). The pair added 130 for the fourth wicket.

However, following their departures the rest of the Pakistani innings went into a slide as they lost their remaining five wickets for 56 runs to be all out for 342 – lead of 146. Off-spinner Lakshitha Manasinghe continued his prolific wicket-taking form against touring sides finishing with 4/82 with fellow spinner Praveen Jayawickrama taking 2/89. Manasinghe had a successful run for Sri Lanka A against South Africa A capturing 12 wickets in the two 4-day unofficial tests.

SLC President’s XI made 88-4 in their second innings. This is Pakistan’s only side game before they take on Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series starting at Galle on 16 July. – (ST)

Scores: SLC President’s XI 196 and 88-4 (Nuwanidu Fernando 31*, Nipun Dananjaya 26*, Salman Ali Agha 2/18)

Pakistanis 342 (o/n 160-3) (Abdullah Shafique 25, Imam-ul-Haq 36, Shan Masood 83, Babar Azam rtd out 79, Saud Shakeel rtd out 61, Lakshitha Manasinghe 4/82, Praveen Jayawickrama 2/89)