ISLAMABAD: Pakistani batters showed promising signs in their practice match against the Australian Victoria XI side on Friday, with Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha scoring half-centuries in Melbourne.
Pakistan got off to a poor start in their Test series against Australia last week after they were handed a 360-run defeat by the hosts at Perth.
Pakistan, who have never won a Test series in Australia, will look to improve their game as they gear up to face the hosts again in the second match of the series in Melbourne on Boxing Day.
“Saud Shakeel (70 retired, 87b, 9x4s) and Mohammad Rizwan (50 retired, 70b, 6x4s, 1x6) batted together to add 103 runs to the board,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.
“Salman Ali Agha (51, 73b, 6x4s, 2x6s) was the other major contributor with the bat, until he fell to Doug Warren.”
Pakistan declared after scoring 323-8 in the two-day practice match. Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi returned to his old, dangerous ways, dismissing opener Will Pucovski in the first over.
“Marcus Harris (18 not out, 32b, 3x4s) and Blake Thomson (25 not out, 30b, 6x4s) remained on crease as Victoria XI ended the day trailing by 276 runs and nine wickets in hand,” the PCB added.
Scores in brief:
Pakistan 323-8 (dec), 78.4 overs (Saud Shakeel 70 retired, Salman Ali Agha 51, Mohammad Rizwan 50 retired; Doug Warren 3-69, Matthew Fotia 2-44)
Victoria XI 47-1, 11 overs (Blake Thomson 25 not out, Marcus Harris 18 not out; Shaheen Shah Afridi 1-16)
