LAHORE - Pakistan ODI and T20 captain Babar Azam and opening batsman Abid Ali batted brilliantly to steer PCB Green to 318-8 in 90 overs at the close of the first day of the practice match played at New Road Ground, Worcester on Saturday. According to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman, PCB Green were off to flying start as they scored 96-1 till lunch, as it was only Shan Masood, who was dismissed by young pacer Naseem Shah at his personal score of 12 runs. After that, PCB Green played batted with authority and gathered 206-3 till tea break. Shaheen Shah Afridi was the bowler from PCB White, who bagged two back-to-back wickets as he first showed pavilion to Abid Ali at his individual score of 71 runs and then took the wicket of Test captain Azhar Ali, when he was playign at 47. After that, PCB Green kept on losing on regular intervals but their players also kept on scoring as at the close of the first day’s play, they posted 318-8 on the board in 90 overs. Test vice captain Babar Azam was retired hurt after scoring inspiring 82 runs while wicketkeeper batsman slammed unbeaten 47 runs. From PCB White, Shaheen Afridi grabbed 4 wickets for 91 while Naseem Shah claimed 2 wickets for 49.
BRIEF SCORES: PCB Green: 318/8 in 90 overs (Babar Azam 82 (retired not out), Abid Ali 71, Mohammad Rizwan 47*; Shaheen Shah Afridi 4/91, Mohammad Abbas 2/49).