Pakistan veterans beat India by four wickets

Kozhikode, Feb 25 (UNI) Pakistan's yesteryear batting heroes won the Veterans one-day cricket series defeating India by four wickets in the second of the three-match series played at the Corporation stadium here today.

Pakistan had won the first match at Udaipur with the same margin and the third match and final match would be played at Meerut on February 27.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to field. India scored 292 runs for the loss of six wickets in 40 overs.

Indians were in a must win situation. Former Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin and Manoj Prabhakar played cautiously and tried to build a huge score. The team, however, lost three early wickets for 109 runs in the process of making 109 runs. But Pravin Amre, with his scintlating performance, helped the country post 293 runs for Pakistan to chase the target.

Amre, who remained at the crease for 93 minutes, scored 126 runs, studded with 12 hits to the rope and five sixes. Robin Singh, who made a valuable 48 , gave solid support to Amre in building a good score for the team.

However, Pakistan bastsmen Gulam Ali, Ijaz Ahmed, Manzoor Ahmed and Manzoon Akhtar punished the Indian bowlers severly. They succeeded in scoring ten runs in every over and the team crossed three-digit mark within ten overs.

Azhar tried almost all his bowlers for a breakthrough, but in vain. The former Kerala leggie K N Anandapadmanabhan made a breakthrough, bagging the wicket of Gulam Ali, by bowling him in the first ball of his first over.

Ijaz Ahamed scored 83 runs from 68 balls (5 x 6 and 6 x 4).

Mansoor Akhtar also played well for Pakistan and scored 69 runs from 68 balls.

For India, leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani was the most successful bowler, who claimed three wickets for 68 runs, followed by Anandapadmanabhan with two wickets for 42 runs. For the winners Abdul Qadir scalped two wickets.

Brief scores: India: 292 for six in 40 overs:(Azharuddin 28, Manoj Prabhakar 39, Robin Singh 48 and Pravin Amre 126 not out, Abdul Qadir 2/76, Manzoor Ilahi 1/24 and Gaffar Qasmi 7/45).

Pakistan: 296 for six in 38.3 overs(Gulam Ali 57, Aam Khan 45, Ijaz Ahmed 83 and Manzoor Akhtar 69, Narendra Hirwari 3/68, Anandapadmanabhan 2/42).

UNI