Shoaib Malik: An important 50 for the Pakistanis on Tuesday

Shoaib Malik hit a really rapid 76 and Mohammad Sami took four wickets as Kenya's ambitions of pulling off a face-saving win in the Cherry Blossom Cup disintegrated in the desert heat.

Malik compiled his runs from just 58 deliveries after the Pakistani top order were forced into a more watchful mode early on.

Everyone in the Pakistani top-order got a start, and that will please skipper Rashid Latif who has just one day off before the Cup final against Zimbabwe on Thursday.

In reply, Kenya laboured throughout, with a defiant 54 from Maurice Odumbe the only score of consequence.

Sami excelled with his bowling and also featured in a run out, while wicket-keeper Latif claimed four catches in a crushing win for the new-look Pakistanis.

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They now progress to Thursday's final against surprise package Zimbabwe with an undefeated record.

Pakistan won the toss and opened with Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umer.

Platform

They put on 45 in 13.3 overs, a platform given more substance by another telling stand between Misbah-ul-Haq (42) and Faisal Iqbal.

Pakistan batted deep, and that underlying strength showed when Latif came in at seven to hit 38 off just 31 balls.

By then, Shoaib was already well established. He really began to flay the bowling out in the latter overs before finally skying a full toss to long-on in the penultimate over.

Thomas Odoyo was economical and Steve Tikolo took three wickets. The less said about the other bowlers' figures the better.

An astonishing 61 runs came off the last four overs.

Teams:

Pakistan: Rashid Latif (captain), Taufeeq Umar, Mohammed Hafeez, Faisal Iqbal, Yousuf Youhana, Shoiab Malik, Rana Naveed-ul Hassan, Misbah-ul Haq, Mohammad Sami, Umar Gul, Danish Kaneria.