Daily Times

EDINBURGH: Pakistan defeated Scotland in the first T20I  of the 2-match  series on Tuesday.

Pakistan elected to bat first after wining the toss against Scotland. The visitors started aggressively but lost their first wicket on 33 runs on the 4th ball of the 4th over. Pakistan lost their second wicket of Fakhar Zaman at the score of 46 in 5.2 overs. Hussain Talat and Ahmed Shahzad were sent back to the pavilion after making 18 and 14 runs respectively.

Captain Sarfaraz Ahmed steadied the seemingly rocking Pakistan innings along with Hussain Tallat. But just when the scoreboard seemed to be slowing down, Tallat lost his wicket to Berrington.

However, as Shoaib Malik arrived at the crease, the whole complexion of the game suddenly changed as he, along with skipper Sarfraz, sent the bowlers to all sides of the park, and beyond, taking the score to a mammoth 204 runs in the allotted 20 overs. Shoaib Malik scored 53 off just 27 balls with the help of 5 sixes and the skipper scored 89 off just 49 balls, hitting ten 4s and three 6s in his innings. Pakistan set 205-run target for Scotland for the loss of 4 wickets.

Scotland started their innings aggressively as well. In the power-play Scotland scored 56 runs. However, HG Munsey was sent to pavilion by Hassan Ali in the final over of the powerplay after which the hosts never seemed to have settled down. The middle order of Scotland could not stay at the pitch except MA Leask who at one point gave a ray of hope to Scotland Cross but the resistance came a bit too late in the day. Scotland could not muster up longer partnerships and despite having scored quickly, they kept losing wickets with regular intervals. At the end, they could only put together 156 runs on the scoreboard for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs and Pakistan won by 48 runs, leading the 2-match series with 1-Nil.

Hassan Ali and Shadab Khan took 2 wickets each, while Nawaz and Amir each sent 1 batsman packing home.

Sarfaraz Ahmed was chosen the Man of the Match.