Sanjeev Sharma guides India Seniors to easy win

India Seniors 214 for 5 (Sanjeev Sharma 66) beat Pakistan Seniors 211 (Azam 61) by 5 wickets
Scorecard

Sanjeev Sharma, the former Indian allrounder, guided Indian Seniors to a comfortable five-wicket win over their Pakistan counterparts in the third one-day match at Sheikhupura. Indian Seniors now lead the series 2-1. Sharma scored a strokefilled 66 with seven boundaries as India Seniors made light work of the target of 212.

Mohammad Azharuddin, who came into this match with the series level at 1-1, won the toss and chose to field. Azam Khan, the wicketkeeper, resisted at the top of the order with a half-century, but Aamer Sohail and Mansoor Akhtar fell early, leaving Pakistan seniors at 36 for 2.

Wickets fell at regular intervals, and no meaty partnerships developed. The best stand was for the fifth wicket, and was worth 55, the only half-century partnership of the innings. While Manoj Prabhakar and David Johnson gave the Indian seniors the early breakthroughs, Sukhwinder Singh and Noel David chipped in towards the end with two wickets apiece as Pakistan Seniors were bowled out for 211 in 37.2 overs.

In contrast to their counterparts the openers for the Indian Seniors - Prabhakar and Sharma - provided a healthy start, putting on 51. Then WV Raman, the former left-hand batsman, chipped in with 35 at No. 3. The Indian Seniors then faced a blip as Abdul Qadir, the legspin great, snapped up Mohammad Azharuddin and Amarjit Kaypee relatively cheaply. India were five down, but still easily overhauled the target, scoring 214 in 33.3 overs.

Khusro Pervez Khan, the home secretary of Punjab, Jalil Ahmed Sharqpuri, the district nazim, Inam-ul-Haq the DCO, Nazim Mohammad Virk, the tehsil, were among the dignitaries who watched the match.