Malik and Bazid steer Pakistan A to comfortable victory

Australia A 204 (White 106, Gul 4-51) lost to Pakistan A 208 for 2 (Malik 103*, Bazid 51*) by eight wickets
Scorecard

Shoaib Malik reaches his hundred © AFP

Shoaib Malik and Bazid Khan, both Test players, put on an unbroken 126-run partnership for the third wicket to allow Pakistan A to post a comfortable eight-wicket win at Lahore and level the three-match series.

Malik scored an 86-ball 103, studded with 12 fours and four sixes, and Bazid, son of Pakistan legend Majid Khan, compiled a composed 51 to steer Pakistan home with nearly 16 overs to spare. Until their arrival, Pakistan A had been in an uncertain position, having lost Ashar Zaidi and Test hopeful, Imran Farhat by the time they reached 82. Zaidi fell leg-before to what appeared to be a no-ball and Farhat threw away what had been a commendably restrained innings of 27 by slashing to gully. However, Malik in particular, rarely looked distressed, working himself in before cutting loose and doing his chances of a Test call-up no harm.

After losing the toss earlier and being asked to bat, Australia A struggled to overcome fine bowling from Mohammad Sami and Umar Gul. At one stage they were reduced to 26 for 4, before Mike Hussey and Cameron White put on 63 for the fifth wicket. But after Hussey was bowled by Gul, only White offered resistance, remaining undefeated on 106 as Australia were bowled out for a disappointing 204.

Gul ended with 4 for 51 from ten impressive overs and on the back of a promising display in the first four-day match at Rawalpindi earlier in the series, enhanced his prospects of a recall to the national side for the series against England.

Wasim Bari, chief selector, told reporters that he was happy with the form of players in line for a call-up to the national squad. Talking to reporters at Gaddafi Stadium, he said, "Shoaib Malik, Bazid Khan, Umar Gul and Mohammad Asif have regained their form and particularly the performance of Gul is heartening which gives us confidence that we have back-up in the fast bowling department before the start of the England series."

The final match of the series is on September 27, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.