MELBOURNE - Pakistan are facing Victoria XI in a two-day practice match at Junction Oval in Melbourne. Pakistan posted 323 for eight in 78.4 overs, on the back of half-centuries by Saud Shakeel, Mo­hammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha. In turn, Victoria XI got to 47-1 in 11 overs. 

Imam-ul-Haq and Abdul­lah Shafique put up a 47-run opening stand, which was cut short when Abdullah (26, 58b, 4x4s) was caught off Sam El­liot’s bowling. Imam (37, 67b, 4x4s) was the next batter to fall as Pakistan went to the lunch break at 95-2. 

Saud Shakeel (70 retired, 87b, 9x4s) and Mohammad Rizwan (50 retired, 70b, 6x4s, 1x6) bat­ted together to add 103 runs to the board. Salman Ali Agha (51, 73b, 6x4s, 2x6s) was the other major contributor with the bat, until he fell to Doug War­ren. A 33-ball-35 from Sarfaraz Ahmed, including four bound­aries, helped Pakistan take the total to 323-8 in 78.4 overs. 

Shaheen Shah Afridi struck early to take out opening bat­ter Will Pucovski cheaply in the first over. Marcus Harris (18 not out, 32b, 3x4s) and Blake Thom­son (25 not out, 30b, 6x4s) re­mained on crease as Victoria XI ended the day trailing by 276 runs and nine wickets in hand.