 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Paceman Imran Ali starred by picking a brilliant six for 52, including a hat-trick, as Pakistan's Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited rolled over Delhi for 134 runs before the hosts struck in time to do the damage control on the opening day of the Mohammad Nissar Trophy cricket match in New Delhi on Monday.
Ali was well supported by fellow paceman Asad Ali, who scalped 3 for 32, as the duo exploited the conditions well after Delhi captain Virender Sehwag had won the toss and elected to bat in the rain-affected four-day match at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground.
After the Ranji champions were skittled out in just 36.3 overs, comeback man Ashish Nehra (3-36), returning after missing the previous season, and Chetanya Nanda (2-1) did well to restrict the Quaid-e-Azam champions Pakistani team for 143 for six in 38 overs.
Earlier, none of the Delhi batsman, barring Virat Kohli (52) and Mithun Manhas (49), could stay long on the crease.
Delhi got off to a shaky start as openers Aakash Chopra (4) and Sehwag (0) returned to the pavilion with just four runs on the board in 4.1 overs.
Kohli and Manhas gave the team some stability by stitching together an 82-run partnership for the third wicket, steering the team to 107 for four in 25.4 overs.
They were 106 for three when the play was stopped in the pre-lunch session and the lunch was taken early. The match was interrupted for almost one and half hour in the pre and post-lunch sessions due to rain and bad lights respectively.
Once Manhas departed, Kohli did not get support from the other end and the remaining batsmen could add mere 27 runs to the total.
The home side was shocked when it lost four of its batsmen -- Mayank Tehlan (0), Puneet Bisht (0), Nanda (0) and Kohli -- with the scoreboard constant at 118.
Nehra and Ishant Sharma contributed four and eight runs respectively.
For the Pakistani side, Umar Akmal top-scored with 58 after being dropped by Ishant Sharma off a Nehra delivery at individual score of four. Opener Mohammad Hafeez scored 28.
The Sui Northern Gas Limited, who were 99 for three at one stage, slumped further after losing the quick wickets of captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal.