HAMBANTOTA: Led by Umar Akmal’s smashing half-century, Pakistan scored 317-7 in their opening match of the ICC World Cup against Kenya on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old right-hander, playing his first World Cup match, top scored with a 52-ball 71 and gave the innings the final flourish with a rapid fire 118-run stand for the fifth wicket with Misbah-ul-Haq who hit a 69-ball 65.
Umar’s elder brother, Kamran, notched 55 and senior batsman Younis Khan made exactly 50 as Pakistan racked up 70 runs in the batting power-play on a flat, grassless pitch at the Mahinda Rajapakse stadium.
Misbah, Pakistan’s best batsman in the recent Test and one-day series in New Zealand, also added 45 runs for the fourth wicket with Khan before giving impetus to the innings with Umar to help Pakistan put up an impressive total.
Misbah, whose first scoring shot was a six, hit one more six and a single boundary, while Umar notched eight boundaries and a six before holing out off Thomos Odoyo who finished with 3-41, conceding 20 in wides in a total of 46 extras.
Earlier, both Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shahzad managed just 10 runs in the first five overs with the new-ball pair of Odoyo and Elijah Otieno bowling three maidens between them.
Hafeez was the first to go, failing to keep a drive down as a diving Seren Waters picked up a beautiful catch at short mid-wicket.
Two overs later, Shahzad, who scored his first run after 13 deliveries, was caught by skipper Jimmy Kamande off Odoyo to leave Pakistan struggling at 12-2.
Khan and Kamran revived the innings through a solid 98-run stand for the third wicket, pushing for singles off some tight bowling.
Kenya, who were shot out for 69 runs in their first match against New Zealand in a 10-wicket loss on Sunday, spoiled the early good work with erratic bowling throughout the Pakistan innings.
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