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Asia beat Africa by six wickets in Twenty20 match

Asian cricketer Santhakumaran Sreesanth, left, gestures after taking the wicket of African Loots Bosman, right, in the Twenty20 match of the Afro-Asia Cup at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, India, on Tuesday. PHOTO: AFP

Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan hit an unbeaten 47 to guide Asia XI to a six-wicket victory over Africa XI in the one-off Twenty20 cricket match here on Tuesday.

The Asian team were struggling at 34-3 before surpassing their opponents' modest total of 109-8 with more than four overs to spare in the day-night game on a seamer-friendly pitch.

Bangladeshi teenager Tamim Iqbal smashed a 22-ball 30 before middle-order batsman Dilshan steered his team home with a 49-run stand for the fifth wicket with skipper Shoaib Malik (14 not out).

Left-handed opener Iqbal, 18, hit one six and three fours, while Dilshan struck one six and six fours in his 36-ball knock.

Kenyan seamer Nehemiah Odhiambo had jolted the Asian side with two wickets in his lively opening spell.

Opener Loots Bosman top-scored with 52 for Africa XI, who had been put in to bat on a track with pace and bounce. The South African struck three sixes and as many fours in his 55-ball knock.

South African Gulam Bodi (12) was the other batsman to reach double-figures.

Bangladeshi seamer Mashrafe Mortaza was the most impressive bowler with 2-17 off four overs. Indian paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth also grabbed two wickets.

The three-match Afro-Asia Cup started here yesterday, with the last two day-night games to be held in Chennai on Saturday and Sunday.

Brief scores:

* Africa XI 109-8 in 20 overs (Loots Bosman 52, Gulam Bodi 12; Mashrafe Mortaza 2-17, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth 2-26).

* Asia XI 110-4 in 15.5 overs (Tillakaratne Dilshan 47 not out, Tamim Iqbal 30, Shoaib Malik 14 not out; Nehemiah Odhiambo 2-21).

Result: Asia XI win by six wickets.
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