Another five-wicket haul from left-arm spinner Faisal Akram helped Pakistan Shaheens beat Northern Territory (NT) Strike by 84 runs at DXC Arena on Wednesday evening.

This was Shaheens’ last match on Australian soil before they return home.

Pakistan Shaheens, before the two 50-over matches, appeared in six-team Top End Series, where they lost to NT Strike in the final at DXC Arena on Sunday.

Chasing 233 to win, NT Strike lost their opening batters for just seven runs on the board before Jason Sangha (34, 37b, 3x4s) and Coby Edmonstone (65, 98b, 6x4s, 1×6) added 79 runs for the third wicket.

Param Uppal (24, 27b, 3x4s) was the other notable contributor with the bat. After the departure of Uppal, the hosts lost seven wickets for just 21 runs.

Faisal Akram, who bagged five for 17 runs in the match against Papua New Guinea on Tuesday afternoon, bagged five wickets for 37 from 10 overs, which included 39 dot balls.

Earlier, after opting to bat first, Shaheens’ opening pair of Azan Awais (36, 38b, 2x4s) and Basit Ali (33, 35b, 5x4s) knitted a 53-run partnership for the opening wicket.

After the departure of the pair with 87 runs on the board, Pakistan Shaheens were in a spot of bother as they lost five wickets for 73 runs.

That the Pakistan Shaheens managed to score 232 from 160 for seven was largely due to a 44-run partnership between Ahmed Khan (39, 61b, 2x4s, 1×6) and Ali Asfand (42 not out, 42b, 5x4s) for the eighth wicket.

Pakistan Shaheens were all out for 232 in 47.3 overs.

For NT Strike, Charlie Smith took four wickets for 31, while Jack Wood and Tom Menzies grabbed two wickets each.

This was Pakistan Shaheens’ first win over NT Strike, after they failed to overpower the hosts on two occasions in the recently concluded Top End T20 Series.

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