Scotland 203-8 Pakistan 205-5 <i>(Pakistan win by five wickets)</i>: Yousuf gets control to see off brave Scots
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Your support makes all the difference.Scotland emerged with honour in defeat from their historic first one-day international against Pakistan. A shock looked on the cards as Inzamam-ul-Haq's side, chasing 204 for victory, stumbled to 93 for 5 at Edinburgh.
Their blushes were spared, however, by an unbroken stand of 112 between Muhammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq which carried the tourists home to a five-wicket win with six overs and one ball to spare.
The man-of-the-match Yousuf hit 10 boundaries in a beautifully composed 83 not out while Razzaq accelerated to finish unbeaten on 49 with the help of three massive sixes.
Their rescue act followed a superb new-ball spell from Paul Hoffmann, who claimed three for 22 from his 10 overs, picking up the scalps of Salman Butt, Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan.
Pakistan reached their low point when Dewald Nel took the prize wicket of Inzamam and Shahid Afridi lofted Ross Lyons to Hoffmann at long-off.
Earlier the Scots themselves recovered from a disastrous start to post 203 for 8. That total had looked well beyond them after Muhammad Hussain and Umar Gul took advantage of early Scottish nerves to reduce the ODI debutants to 20 for 4.
However, a stand of 118 - a Scottish record for any wicket against Pakistan - between Ryan Watson and Neil McCallum staved off the threat of a rout. Watson began the revival with four boundaries in Razzaq's first over before launching Danish Kaneria over deep mid-wicket for six. The Forfarshire batsman looked set for a century until, having reached 80 from 85 balls, a leading edge offered Afridi a simple return catch.
McCallum, who had played second fiddle to the stand-in captain, went on to make 68, his second successive half-century following his 52 against Leicestershire on Sunday. His 68 came from 129 balls and included five boundaries and a six.
However, Scotland's inexperience was evident when their lower order could add only 17 from the final five overs of their innings.
Malik emerged as the pick of the Pakistan bowlers with three for 35.
* Pakistan are set to counter a plan to allow players to appeal decisions to the third umpire if the move is ratified at next week's International Cricket Council annual meeting in London.
Last month, the ICC cricket committee put forward a scheme that would allow sides to make three appeals to the third official per innings. If passed, the idea will be given a trial at the Champions Trophy in India later this year.
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