Pakistan Shaheens lost their first match in the Top End T20 series in Darwin, Australia, by 59 runs against NT Strike on Sunday.
After deciding to bat first, NT Strike scored 185-5 in 20 overs with Param Uppal top-scoring with 59 runs in 28 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes.
Aaliyan Mahmood and Arafat Minhas picked up two wickets apiece for Pakistan.
In reply, Shaheens were dismissed for 126 in 18.4 overs with captain Rohail Nazir being the highest contributor with 41 runs in 33 balls.
Jack Wood claimed figures of 4-28, meanwhile, Tom Menzies bagged 3-24.
Apart from NT Strike and Pakistan Shaheens, Australian Capitol Territory’s ACT Comets, Melbourne Stars, Melbourne Renegades and Papua New Guinea (PNG) will also feature in the six-team tournament.
The event is being played in the T20 format with the top-two sides advancing to the final.
Shaheens will also take part in two 50-over cricket matches against PNG and NT Strike on August 8 and 9, respectively.
“The Darwin tour is part of the PCB’s policy to create more opportunities for the emerging cricketers to play away cricket in different conditions against different oppositions across all formats so that they can hone their skills and also expand the pool of players. In this relation, Pakistan Shaheens recently toured Zimbabwe and are presently in Sri Lanka for the ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup. The squad will also take part in the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 from September 19 to October 8,” the PCB said in a press release earlier this month.
Pakistan Shaheens squad:
Rohail Nazir (captain), Aaliyan Mahmood, Ali Asfand, Amir Hassan, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Basit Ali, Faisal Akram, Mohammad Imran Sajjad Ali, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Shawaiz Irfan, Syed Zeeshan Zameer and Wahaj Riaz
Schedule of Pakistan Shaheens' matches:
Jul 31 – vs ACT Comets (T20)
Aug 1 – vs Melbourne Renegades (T20)
Aug 2 – vs Melbourne Stars (T20)
Aug 4 – vs PNG (T20)
Aug 6 – Final
Aug 8 – vs PNG (50-over)
Aug 9 – vs NT Strike (50-over)