Pakistan Times | Sports: Pakistan A stuns India by 6 wickets defeat

The youthful home side cut down a strong challenge from a such superior rival with skilful batting and shattered the dream of the touring side to get a morale booting win ahead of their 40-day long hectic tour which is taking place after 14 years.

Indian side, put into the bat on a supporting wicket, posted a challenging total of 335 for 6 in allotted 50 overs.

Pakistan A, helped by brilliant century by opener Taufeeq Umar (104) and solid half centuries from Imran Nazir (65) and Faisal Iqbal (50) knocked off the victory target by making 336 runs for the loss of 4 wickets with 4 overs remaining.

The home side got a innings building start of 127 runs by top scorer Taufeeq and Imran. The stand by broken by paceman Zaheer removing Imran who struck breezy runs off 32 runs, hitting nine fours and four fours to extend maximum punishment to a listless Indian attack.

Pakistan A received further support when Taufeeq joined Nauman Ullah (35) for the second wicket partnership of 93 runs in 68 minutes. Taufeeq departed after hitting 13 fours and two sixes in 89 balls off 150 minutes, caught by substitute Patel off Tendulkar.

The task was accomplished by Faisal Iqbal and Qasiar Abbas and the duo of unbeaten batsmen featured in a unbroken 78 runs fifth wicket stand in 54 minutes. Faisal's patient knock contained on four and two six in 65 balls off 94 minutes. Zaheer, Kartik, Sehwag and Tendulkar claimed one wicket each.

The highlights of the Indian innings was a sparkling unbeaten (92) by middle order batsman Rahul Dravid before openers Virender Sehwag (75) and Sachin Tendulkar (76) hit enterprising half centuries with stroke play.

The opener joined hands for the 149 runs stand in 89 minutes to lay a strong foundation of the innings.Both fell to leg spinner Qaisar Abbas who bowled Tenduler and then got rid of Sehawag caught by Bazid at mid wicket.

Tendulkar smashed 11 boundaries in 82 balls and Sehwag cracked 13 flowing fours and one six in 68 balls. Dravid associated Laxman (28) for the 4th wicket stand of 57 runs and then he partnered Kaif (20) for the 6th wicket stand of 79 runs.Dravid who remained unbeaten with a delightful innings slammed one six and 13 fours off 70 balls.

Qaisar finished with two for 56, while Umar Gul, Tasir Arfat and Junaid Zia took one wicekt each.

India admits being jolted after defeat

India crashed to an embarrassing six-wicket defeat at the start of the Pakistan tour after their bowlers were pounded in spectacular fashion.

The Indian bowlers were guilty of conceding 42 extras, including 17 no-balls and 12 wides. Zaheer Khan, who went for 78 runs in nine overs, was the worst culprit with 12 no-balls and 10 wides. Laxmipathy Balaji was thrashed for 60 runs in six overs and young seamer Irfan Pathan gave away 49 in five.

Dejected Indian coach John Wright laid the blame squarely on his bowlers' shoulders. "I think its a jolt from the point of view of how tough this tour is going to be," he said. "We bowled badly and have a job in hand to sort this out quickly.

"We would not want to repeat this performance. One must have a plan B when your opponent attacks. Our bowlers bowled all over the place and will have to learn quickly. "(A bowler) Going for 60 and 70 is an area of concern which we must address and the only way is to work hard in the nets."

"The Pakistan team must have watched this performance with interest. Worry is not the right adjective, but we must have better all-round performance in the one-dayers," Wright said.

India will play five one-dayers and three Tests against Pakistan on their first full tour of the country since 1989.

Scoreboard

INDIA
Virender Sehwag c Bazid b Abbas 75
Sachin Tendulkar b Abbas 76
Sourav Ganguly c&b Gull 5
VVS Laxman b Zia 28
Rahul Dravid notout 92
Yuvraj Singh c Faisal b Arfat 10
Muhammad Kaif runout 20
Irfan Pathan notout 00
Extras (lb-4,wb-13,nb-12) 29
Total (for 6 in 50 overs) 335
Fall of wkts 1-149,2-172,3-182,4-239,5-250,6-329
Bowling: Umar Gul 10-0-74-1,Muhammad Khalil 10-0-70-0, Yasir Arfat 10-0-77-1, Junaid Zia 10-0-54-1, Qaisar Abbas 10-0-56-2.

PAKISTAN (A)
Imran Nazir b Zaheer 65
Taufeeq Umarr c sub Patel b Tendulkar 104
Nauman ullah c Kartik b Sehwag 35
Faisal Iqbal notout 50
Bazid Khan c Patel b Kartik 2
Qaisar Abbas notout 38
Extras (b-4,lb-9,wb-12,nb-17) 42
Total (for 4 in 46 overs) 336
Fall of wkts 1-127,2-220,3-252,4-258
Bowling Zaheer Khan 9-0-78-1, L.Balaji 6-0-60-0, Irfan Pathan 5-0-49-0, Murali Kartik 10-1-63-1,Sourav Ganguly 4-0-19-0,Virender Sehwag 5-0-22-1, Sachin Tendulkar 6-0-31-0, Yuvraj Singh 1-0-1-0.

Result: Pakistan A won by six wickets.

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