Unofficial Test: Shadab’s century leaves Pakistan A in full control

Zimbabwe struggling at 53-2 in second innings, still 113 runs behind

KARACHI: Young all-rounder Shadab Khan once again showed why he is one of the country’s most sought-after young talent as he followed up his four-wicket haul with a superb century to help Pakistan A score 512 and claim a 166-run lead against Zimbabwe A on day three of their four-day unofficial Test at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe yesterday.

Pakistan A resumed their first innings on 284-5 and added 228 runs with Shadab scoring 132 off 161 balls, hitting 19 fours and two big sixes while Saud Shakeel scored 97 runs to build a 130-run seventh wicket stand with Shadab.

Other than Shakeel and Shadab, Zain Abbas (78), Saifullah Bangash (42), Sohaib Maqsood (41), Jaahid Ali (31), Muhammad Asghar (31) and Umar Amin (30) were also among the runs. For Zimbabwe, Brian Vitori took three wickets while Carl Mumba and John Nyumbu took two apiece.

At the end of the day’s play, Zimbabwe were struggling at 53-2 as Mir Hamza and Ghulam Mudassar took one wicket apiece to send both openers back in the pavilion with only nine runs on the board. However, Tarisai Musakanda (32) and Sean Williams (12) came together to put on an unbeaten 44-run partnership and take Zimbabwe to 53-2 at stumps, still trailing by 113.

“We had a good start to Zimbabwe’s second innings with those two early wickets. We can now look to dismiss them quickly on day four,” Mudassar told The Express Tribune. “Our bowling attack is good and we don’t have much pressure on us since our batsmen scored big.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2016.

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