India A-1 down Pak

Having won both their matches, Sri Lanka emerged champs and with two defeats from as many matches, Pakistan A finished at the bottom in the three-nation tournament organised to mark the United Arab Emirates National Day celebrations.

Electing to bat, India added 48 for the opening wicket through Nikhil Haldipur and Connor Williams before Yasser Arafat dismissed both batsmen at that score.

Man of the match Ali and Sanjay Bangar then steadied the innings by adding 97 for the fourth wicket after Vinod Kambli fell without scoring.

Ali was run out in a mix-up that saw both batsmenending up at the same end. Bangar, who struck three fours and a huge six, was also run out after making 47.

Pakistan lost their first wicket to Nair at 21 after opener Salim Ilahi was hit by rising delivery from Zaheer Khan and had to retired hurt. Nair claimed his second wicket 16 runs later, sending back Sarfraz.

A 44-run stand for the third wicket between top-scorer Y Hamed, who made a composed 49, and Shahid Afridi, who hit a whirlwind 39 off 15 balls with two sixes and five fours, briefly steadied the Pakistani innings.

But after the two departed, wickets fell at regular intervals.

Nair took three wickets for 50, while pandey claimed an excellent two for 20 in ten overs. Pritam gandhe claimed two for 30.

Paceman Eric Upashantha of Sri Lanka was adjudged man of the tournament.

SCOREBOARD :

India A-1: Nikhil Haldipur b Arafat 20, Connor Williams st Latif b Arshad Khan 19 Syed Abbas Ali run out 49, Vinod Kambli c Javid b Arafat 0, Sanjay Bangar run out 47, Rohan Gavaskar st Latifb Arshad Khan 10, Gyanendra Pandey run out 22. Zaheer Khan c Arafat b Naseer 19, Nayan Mongia not out 0. Extras: 31. Total (for 8 wickets in 50 overs): 217

Fall of wickets: 1-48, 2-48, 3-49, 4-146, 5-172, 6-173, 7-217, 8-217

Bowling: Sajid Shah 10-0-47-0, Zaffar Naseer 10-0-38-1, Y Arafat 10-1-49-2, Afridi 10-0-33-0, Arshad Khan 10-2-33-2.

Pakistan A: S Elahi retd hurt 2, J Sami lbw Nair 7, Y Hamed b Gandhe 49, A Sarfraz c Pandey b Nair 8, Shahid Afridi c Mongia b Zaheer Khan 39, Y Khan c Pandey b Nair 6, Rashid Latif c Haldipur b Gandhe 17, Y Arafat lbw Pandey 1, I Nazir not out 10, S Shah run out 16, A Khan c Williams b Pandey 0. Extras: 14. Total (for 9 wickets in 43 overs): 169

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-37, 3-81, 4-98, 5-134, 6-135

Bowling: Zaheer Khan 7-1-14-1, Bangar 10-0-45-0, Nair 10-0-50-3, Pandey 9.5-0-20-2, Gandhe 7-0-30-2.