Malik calls the shots
AFP, Lahore
Young all-rounder Shoaib Malik hit an explosive unbeaten 82 off just 41 balls to take Pakistan to a respectable 277-6 in the first day-night limited-overs international at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Friday. The 21-year-old local boy Malik, hit six boundaries and as many sixes to enthrall a sell-out 28,000 crowd to help Pakistan post a challenging total after struggling until the 40th over. Malik hit South African spearhead Shaun Pollock for two fours and two sixes in the 49th over and then blasted three consecutive sixes off Jacques Kallis in the 50th over as Pakistan added 105 in the last 10 overs. Malik added a rapid 64 off 52 balls for the fifth wicket with skipper Inzamamul Haq who made a 35-ball 37 with two boundaries and a six. Earlier Youhana hit his 31st one-day fifty and finished with 68 off 87 balls but could hit only two boundaries before edging Andrew Hall to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher in the 39th over. Armed contingents of some 2,000 police and 150 commandos were deployed in and around the stadium to head off any threat to address South African concerns over the security situation in Pakistan. Bomb disposal squads cleared all the 14 stands of the stadium two hours before the start of the match and 20 policemen kept a tight vigil in each stand. South Africa suffered an early blow when experienced opener Herschelle Gibbs was ruled out after he pulled a stomach muscle and was replaced by Boeta Dippenaar. The tourists included left-arm spinner Robin Peterson while Pakistan left out pacer Umar Gul and entered with two spinners including Mushtaq Ahmed who played his first one-day for three years. Pakistan found the going tough after they lost opener Mohammad Hafeez in the fifth over of the innings and caught at square leg off a tentative flick off Pollock for five. Pollock unleashed a tight line and length, conceding just seven in his first six overs. Youhana and Yasir Hameed added 82 for the second wicket but boundaries were hard to come by as halfway through, Pakistan reached 100-2. Hameed reached his second one-day half century off 81 balls with four boundaries but six runs later failed to beat South African captain Graeme Smith's brilliant throw from mid on and was run out. Youhana and Younis Khan ran some quick singles to disturb the South African bowling but at 142 Younis misjudged a single and was run out for 19. Kallis finished with 2-53.
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