Islamabad, Nov 26: A blistering century by Haider Ali, alongside Sharoon Siraj’s all-round performance, led Pakistan Shaheens to a commanding 108-run victory over Sri Lanka ‘A’ in the first 50-over match at Islamabad Club on Monday.
After being asked to bat first, the Shaheens overcame a rocky start to post a challenging total of 305/7 in their 50 overs. Openers Mohammad Huraira (26) and Maaz Sadaqat (11) were dismissed cheaply, but Haider Ali, batting at number four, anchored the innings with an explosive knock.
Haider’s partnership with Sharoon Siraj, who made a brisk 42 off 48 balls, added 27 runs for the third wicket. The highlight of the innings was Haider’s 120-run partnership with Abdul Samad (56), which came off 94 and 63 balls, respectively.
Haider’s match-defining knock of 108 runs off 94 balls featured 8 boundaries and 6 sixes.
In response, Sri Lanka ‘A’ could only manage 198 runs in 39.4 overs. Chamindu Wickramasinghe top-scored with 47, while Sonal Dinusha (38) and Sahan Arachchige (35) contributed.
However, they fell short of the target. Sharoon Siraj was the standout bowler, taking 3 wickets for 21 runs, while Mohammad Imran Jnr claimed 2 wickets.
For his match-winning century, Haider Ali was named Player of the Match. With this victory, Pakistan Shaheens will aim to maintain their momentum and complete a series clean sweep against Sri Lanka A.
