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Afridi shines on debut

Sports Reporter
Mohammedan Sporting Club demanded at least bur weeks preparation before playing the season's curtain-raising tournament Federation Cup. scheduled to start from September 10.
"Most of the players are out of action and they need at least four weeks to be fit after the close of the players' transfer window on August 31 and we will let the BFF know it soon," said Mustaqur Rahman, a member of Mohammedan ad-hoc committee.
The Motijheel-based outfit, Mohammedan, have so far signed up 13 players, of whom 12 are in the training camp of the national team, but they are yet to appoint a coach while their rivals Abahani have already started preparation from Wednesday after roping in 17 players so far.
"We were given five weeks to be prepared in the last season, but this time we are getting only
10 days after the completion of the transfer and it is not possible to ready a team for a major tournament, said Rahman.
According to the BFF calendar revealed in April, the Federation Cup was originally scheduled to be held in October and the professional football league in November after the transfer in August.
"We were forced to bring the schedule forward because of some international engagements of the national team at home. Besides, if we would maintain the original schedule, the length of the league would increase, also due to the international meets, and the clubs would suffer from financial crisis to run their camp. So the decision was taken thinking of both sides," said Anwarul Haq Helal, a member of the B. League committee.
Helal, however, said that they had earlier informed all clubs that the season curtainraising tournament might get underway in between September 5 to 10.
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FROM PAGE 17
a fantastic win."
Sangakkara blamed the defeat on a poor all-round display.
"I think we gave Pakistan 20-25 extra runs," he said. "We would have been happier chasing around 150 and although we got a good start, we fell away at the end.
"We have to learn from this and improve the next time we get on the field."
Sri Lanka take on New Zealand in a two-Test series starting in Galle onTUesday.
Pakistan, who elected to
bat after winning the loss, lost a wicket off the first ball when Kamran Akmal was bowled by Nuwan Kulasekara after attempting a big heave.
The other opener, Imran Nazir, cracked five fours and a six in his 40 off 28 balls to boost the total as Pakistan moved to 59-3 by the eighth over.
Teenager Umar Akmal, who hit a 20-ball 30, put on 66 for the fourth wicket with Afridi.
Abdul Razzaq and Misbah-ui Haq added a quickfire 33 as Pakistan plun-
dered 47 runs in the last five overs to leave Sri Lanka facing a daunting target of 8.7 runs an over.
SCORES IN BRIEF
PAKISTAN: 172 for 5 in 20 overs (Nazir 40, Malik 14, Afridi 50, Akmal 30, Razzaq 25 not out; Tushara 2-37)
SRI LANKA: I20alloutin 18.1 overs (Jayasuriya 23, Sangakkara 38, Kapugcdera 10; Naved3-19,Ajmal3-18) Result: Pakistan won by 52 runs.
Man-of-the-match: Shahid Afridi.