DUBAI // Despite bearing the brunt of the violent late-innings assault of Abdul Razzaq and grassing a chance to dismiss Fawad Alam, Ajmal Shahzad still, just about, emerged from his international debut in credit on Saturday night.
The fact he earned his chance, following a thigh injury to Ryan Sidebottom, against his father's homeland was a happy coincidence. Growing up in Bradford, Shahzad initially supported Pakistan as a schoolboy. He switched allegiances once Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram, his heroes, had vacated the stage, and Darren Gough, his fellow Yorkshireman, had risen to prominence with England.
Shahzad's introduction to the international stage was a frenetic one. Imran Nazir smashed him straight back over his head off the first ball he sent down, but Shahzad avenged that by dismissing him and his opening partner, Imran Farhat, by the end of the over.
He ended with two for 38 from his four overs and, even though Razzaq took him for two sixes from his last four balls to seal Pakistan's four-wicket win and he dropped the left-handed Alam off the unimpressed Stuart Broad at short third-man at a crucial stage, his captain was pleased.
"He has come in to play against the world's best Twenty20 side, and it is not easy when you are playing against batsmen like that," said Collingwood.
"We have all seen that he certainly has the talent, he certainly has the pace, and the aggression as well to go with it. That is a good combination. He will learn all the time, and I am sure he has learned a hell of a lot from his experience."
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
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