India’s Independence Cup

New Zealand Start With Win Over Pakistan

MOHALI (India): Nathan Astle hit a century and took four wickets as New Zealand grabbed a 22-run victory over Pakistan in a high-scoring start to the four-nation Independence Cup one-day tournament, May 9, here.

Man-of-the-Match Astle cracked 117 runs off 132 balls in New Zealand’s total of 285 for seven from 50 overs, before subduing Pakistan’s reply with figures of four for 43.

Having put New Zealand in, Pakistan began their run-chase on a rousing note as Shahid Afridi hammered a belligerent 59 off 46 balls, with four boundaries and two towering sixes off medium-fast bowler Andrew Penn.

Ijaz Ahmed and Salim Malik bolstered the Pakistan score with a 81-run fourth-wicket stand off 103 balls, but Pakistan lost momentum after their departure against accurate bowling by Astle and Larsen, backed by some brilliant fielding.

Earlier, Astle and fellowr Bryan Young put on 155 off 145 balls against a straying Pakistani attack to register New Zealand’s highest first-wicket stand in 48 one-day matches.

Astle’s chanceless knock came off 132 balls, with two sixes and eight fours on an excellent batting pitch.

Young’s 59 came off 65 balls and contained five boundaries before he was yorked by an inswinger from paceman Abdul Razzak.

Off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who took three for 38, was Pakistan’s best bowler.

India and Sri Lanka are the other two teams in the tournament commemorating 50 years of India’s independence from Britain. (Reuter)

Score Board

New ZealandM

 B.Young b Razzak                   59

 N.Astle st Moin Khan b Afridi     117

 M.Horne b Saqlain                  45

 C.Cairns b Aaqib Javed             17

 S.Fleming c and b Saqlain           9

 C.Harris b Saqlain                  4

 D.Patel run out                     4

 A.Parore not out                   16

 G.Larsen not out                    1

 Extras (lb-2 nb-2 w-

 Total (for 7 wickets, 50 overs)   285

    Did not bat: A.Penn, H.Davis.

    Fall of wickets: -264 7-282.

    Bowling: Razzak w, 2nb), Aaqib Javed 8-0-70-1

(1w), Afridi w), Saqlain 10-0-38-3, Hussain

5-0-36-0, Salim Malik w).

Pakistan

 S.Anwar c Harris b Penn          17

 S.Afridi b Larsen                59

 R.Raja run out                   11

 I.Ahmed lbw b Astle              50

 S.Malik c Harris b Astle         47

 Inzamam-ul-Haq c Harris b Patel  30

 M.Khan c Fleming b Astle         16

 M.Hussain c Davis b Larsen        1

 A.Razzak st Parore b Astle        8

 S.Mushtaq not out                 6

 Aaqib Javed not out               6

 Extras (lb-2 nb-3 w-

 Total (for 9 wickets, 50 overs) 263

    Fall of wickets: 2 7-242

.

    Bowling: Penn w), Davis w, 2nb),

Harris 10-2-34-0, Larsen nb), Patel 10-0-49-1, Astle

8-0-43-4.

    Result: New Zealand won by 22 runs. 

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