Colombo, Sep 17: Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal smashed an unbeaten 92 off 50 balls, including five fours and six huge sixes, to inspire Pakistan to a comfortable five-wicket win against India in a Twenty20 World Cup practice match at the R Premadasa Stadium here on Monday.
Batting first, India scored 185 and set Pakistan a daunting 186-run target. For India, Virat Kohli scored 75 off 47 balls, which included seven fours and two sixes. He was ably assisted by Rohit Sharma, who scored 56 with four boundaries and two sixes. Both added 127 for the third wicket.
Pakistan got off to a decent start, scoring 30 in 3.2 overs before opener Imran Nazir fell for 13 of the bowling of Ravichandran Ashwin.
Pakistan collapsed to 98 for five in a little over 12 overs, before Akmal shared an unbeaten 95 run stand with former captain Shoaib Mallik, who played a cameo of 37 off 18 balls with the help of two fours and two sixes, taking Pakistan to 186-5 with five balls to spare.
Off-spinner Ashwin had earlier claimed the wickets of Mohammad Hafeez and Shahid Afridi in one over to dent Pakistan''s run chase, but thereafter, it was Kamran Akmal all the way.
Ashwin claimed four wickets in the match. For Pakistan, off-spinner Saeed Ajmal was the bowling star, claiming the wickets of Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma.
© ANI
