Pakistan warmed up for the Twenty20 world championships with a five-wicket win over World Cup finalists Sri Lanka in a practice match here on Sunday. Mohammad Hafeez led the way with an all-round effort, claiming 2-18 in his four overs to restrict Sri Lanka to 162-7 before making 45 as Pakistan cruised home with seven balls to spare in Centurion.
At Benoni, Kenya carved out a thrilling last-ball win over Bangladesh, dismissing their rivals for 116 before overtaking the modest target for the loss of four wickets.
Sri Lanka, sent in to bat, failed to build on a solid start of 45 in five overs by openers Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga and lost wickets at regular intervals.
Jehan Mubarak was the top scorer with 42 off 33 balls before being run out by Umar Gul in the final over.
Pakistan made a flying start in reply as Hafeez and Salman Butt (51) hammered 94 for the first wicket by the 10th over. The loss of four quick wickets reduced Pakistan to 149-5 in the 18th over but skipper Shoaib Malik guided his team to victory with an unbeaten 34.
Pakistan are drawn with arch-rivals India and Scotland in group D of the preliminary league with the top two advancing to the Super Eights round.
SA BEAT AUSSIES:
On a day of surprises captain Graeme Smith led South Africa to an eight-wicket win over Australia as favoured teams stuttered in practice matches for the Twenty20 world championships.
Smith hit 89 not out and Abraham de Villiers smashed 65 off 35 balls as the hosts surpassed the world champions' 179-8 with five deliveries to spare at a packed Supersport Park in Centurion.
The hosts outwitted Australia from the moment veteran seamer Shaun Pollock clean bowled Adam Gilchrist and Brad Haddin with the last two balls of his second over.
Australia slipped to 21-3 before Andrew Symonds hit 45 off 26 balls and tailender Michael Johnson boosted the total with an unbeaten 30 off 12 balls that included six boundaries.
Smith put on 54 for the first wicket with Herschelle Gibbs in 5.3 overs and a match-winning 116 for the second with de Villiers to give South Africa a morale-boosting win.
The West Indies owe their win over New Zealand to fast bowler Daren Powell who grabbed three wickets for four runs in his quota of four overs.
Kenya recovered from their six-wicket defeat by the West Indies on Saturday to score a morale-boosting win over Bangladesh in another practice match.
Seamer Nehemiah Ngoche claimed 3-37 in four overs as Bangladesh, sent in to bat on a seaming wicket, were shot out for 116 in the 17th over. Opener Tamim Iqbal was the only batsman to shine with 56.
Kenya spaced their innings with steady, but unspectacular batting and coasted home with one ball to spare in Shakib-Al Hasan's final over.
Openers David Obuya and Collins Obuya put on 41 for the first wicket before captain Steve Tikolo and Tanmay Mishra set up the win with a half-century stand for the third wicket.
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