Shaheen Afridi makes impressive return to red-ball cricket

Shaheen Shah Afridi took three wickets on his return to red-ball cricket as Pakistan dismissed SLC Board XI for 196 in 46.3 overs on the opening day of the only two-day practice match here on Tuesday.

Shaheen dismissed Kamindu Mendis (21, caught at the wicket), Ahan Wickramasinghe (two, caught in first slip) and Kavishka Anjula (two, bowled) as he recorded figures of 12-3-37-3. This was Shaheen’s first competitive red-ball match in nearly 12 months after he had missed England and New Zealand Tests due to knee injury.

Hasan Ali also had a good outing when he registered figures of 7.3-1-22-3, while all-rounder Aamir Jamal (two for 33) and mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed (two for 52) shared the remaining four wickets.

For the home side, 31-year-old Oshada Fernando, who has played 21 Tests, scored 113 runs from 127 balls. His innings included 18 fours. He was the seventh batter out at the score of 168, falling to Aamir.

When the stumps were drawn for the day, Pakistan had reached 160 for three in 37 overs with Babar Azam (14) and Saud Shakeel (0) at the crease.

No.3 batter Shan Masood was the top-scorer with 83 (9x4s, 3x6s, 66b), while openers Imam Ul Haq and Abdullah Shafique scored 36 and 25 runs, respectively.

The first Test begins in Galle from Sunday, 16 July.

Scores in brief:

SLC Board XI 196, 46.3 overs (Oshada Fernando 113; Hasan Ali 3-22, Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-37, Aamir Jamal 2-33, Abrar Ahmed 2-52)

Pakistan 160-3, 37 overs (Shan Masood 83, Imam Ul Haq 36, Abdullah Shafique 25, Babar Azam 14 n.o., Saud Shakeel 0 n.o.; Lakshitha Manasinghe 2-39)