Azan and Shamyl lead run tables

Shaheens conclude England series with mixed results

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan's new cricket stars Azan Awais and Shamyl Hussain lead the runs table in the recently-concluded Shaheen's tour of England. Shaheens, headed by Pakistan's national test- team vice captain Saud Shakeel, won the ODI series 2/1 while the two three-day matches were resultless. The series played in Kent, Hove and Canterbury grounds, saw the young blood dominate the proceedings through their consistency and wining partnerships.

Azan played 7 innings and toped the run table with a tally of 276 while Shamyl, who was benched in the first two matches, scored 193 in 5 innings. Both average around 39 per innings.

Their partnership of over one hundred in the crucial third one day decided the fate of the ODI contest that hung in balance. The two laid the foundation of the biggest run-chase of the series set at 261.

Three-day matches were weather-affected and produced some quality batting from Shaheens including two centuries by Rohail Nazir and Ali Zaryab respectively while Amir Hamza, Obaid Shah, Musa Khan and Mehran Mumtaz did well with the ball.

The overall batting honours again were shared by Azan and Shamyl among the Shaheen batters whose total runs tallies surpassed other performers. As per PCB website, Shamyl top-scored for his team in the three matches combined runs. In the list of top scorers from both sides, he is number 2 behind England's Luc Benkenstein, whose series tally was 197. Ali Zaryab (166), Haider Ali (159), Rohail Nazir (136) Saud Shakeel (128) and Muhammad Suleman were the other main run getters. Omair Bin Yousuf (77) Maaz Sadaqat (61) were the other batters with some runs.Of the two, Shamyl's strike rate was 74 while Azan's was 53, befitting the battling styles of both, the former being a fluent stroke player while the latter a patient accumulator. The two also lead last year's first class run tables with Azan the highest run getter in Quaid-i-Azam Trophy's with 844 runs helping his region, Sialkot to win the title. Shamyl Hussain was the second highest run maker in the President's Trophy amassed 727, including the tournament's fastest double hundred and guided his department, PTV, to clinch the trophy. The team is returning home today.