Pakistani bowlers failed to defend a total of 313 as centuries from Henry Nicholls and Tim Seifert led the New Zealand Board President’s XI to a six-wicket victory in the tour game in Lincoln.
Pakistanis, who opted to bat, had suffered a shaky start as Mohammad Hafeez and Younis Khan were out for 2 and 1 respectively, within the first three overs. After Shehzad failed to convert his start of 37, and Sohaib Maqsood was out cheaply, Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal led the side’s recovery with a 105-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Akmal chipped in with 68 off 59 balls, including ten fours. Quick wickets soon reduced them to 234 for 7 but Misbah and Wahab Riaz, who scored 30 off 21 balls, pushed the score to 313.
NZ Board President’s XI’s chase was set up by a 93-run partnership between openers Michael Pollard and Nicholls, and the latter built on that by adding another 85 runs with Siefert before his dismissal for 104. Nicholls’ 113-ball innings included 14 fours. Seifert then controlled the chase, notching up an unbeaten 115 off 89 deliveries to lead the side to a victory in the last over.
