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World-XI beat Pakistan by 7 wickets and a ball to spare

Dunya News

The series is level 1-1. Final to be played on Friday at Qaddafi Stadium.

(Web Desk) – World-XI has defeated Pakistan in the 2nd T20 of the three-match series at Qaddafi Stadium after a hair-raising game. Pakistan scored 174 runs off their allotted overs for the loss of 6 wickets with the help of some good performances by Fakhar Zaman (21), Ahmed Shahzad (43), Babar Azam (45), Shoaib Malik (39) and Imad Wasim (15).

World-XI opened their innings in style as Tamim Iqbal and Hashim Amla took the total to 44 in just 5 overs. However, Tamim Iqbal s fall in the fifth over did slow the things down a bit as Tim Paine took some time to settle in. But Hashim Amla was brilliant throughout and even after losing Paine (10) at the total of 71, he continued hitting boundaries continually. He was joined by Faf du Plesis, who scored a handy 20 runs off 14 balls but as he was joined by Thisara Perera, the two were relentless till the end of the innings and remained undefeated. Amla scored 72 runs off 55 balls with 5 boundaries and 2 sixes while Perera, 47 off 19, took the game away from Pakistan, levelling the series 1-1.

The two teams will meet for the final time on Friday and with some outstanding performances from both sides, the game is certainly going to be stirring.

HIGHLIGHTS

World-XI innings

The winning stroke..

Overs 19.5: SIX! And Perera has won it for the World-XI. It was a fantastic innings by the Sri Lankan to take the game away from Pakistan. He has hit 5 sixes for his 47 off just 19 balls and Pakistan bowlers didn t have an answer to his muscular hitting towards the death overs. The series is 1-1 now and perfectly poised for a gripping final, to be played on Friday. 

Overs 19.3: It was high in the air but fell short of everyonee.

Overs 19.1: WIDE! Raees has started off the over with a wide. 12 required now off 6 balls.

Overs 18.5: SIX! It was a full toss again and Perera has hit that with tremendous power over the midwicket boundary for a maximum.

Malik drops Perera

Overs 18.4: DROPPED! And Shoaib Malik has returned the favour to World-XI. It couldn t have been dropped ... but he did.

Overs 18.1: SIX! Perera might take it away from Pakistan. He s hitting it clean and strong.

Overs 18: Two overs left now and World-XI require another 33 runs.

Overs 17.3: SIX! Perera treats the full toss by Rumman Raees the way it deserves. That was hit for the maximum over the long-on boundary.

Overs 16.4: SIX! Perera was witty there. It was a slower one and on his waist and he s heaved it to the square leg boundary for the maximum. This is turning out to be a nail-biting contest.

Even Saad Malik knows it!

Overs 15.6: FOUR! Full toss on the pads and Amla just gets a touch to deflect it to the boundary. 51 required off 24 balls now. 

Overs 15.4: FOUR! Amla is not going to let this go. No matter who s coming or going at the other end. It s been timed beautifully to find the gap between the midwicket and the long-on fielders.

Overs 15: Last five overs of this 2nd T20 between Pakistan and World-XI where the visitor need another 63 runs off the last 30 balls with 7 wickets in hands and Hashim Amla in supreme form. He s been joined at the crease by the Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera, and he can hit that big for sure.

What s up with this India-teasing by the way?

Overs 13.6: OUT! And nawaz has finally got his man. Faf du Plesis is gone, trying to hit this one out of the park and getting caught at long-off in the process. 106 for 3.

Overs 13.5 SIX! And now it was just out of Rumman Raees s reach on the deep square leg boundary.

Overs 13.3: DROPPED! Faf du Plesis had miscued it and it was in the air for quite some time but Sohail Khan just couldn t get there in time. He was slow on his feet there.

Overs 13: World-XI haven t let the pace of the innings to go down, losing wickets. And the two South Africans are making it look extremely easy right now.

Overs 12.4: SIX! This time, it s the skipper. Faf has launched Shadab Khan for a massive six over his head. World-XI look all set to chase this total down way ahead of the allotted 20 overs. 

Overs 11.5: SIX! Hashim Amla is in sublime form tonight. He s hit Nawaz over the extra cover for yet another six and now the World-XI are 86 for 2.

Meanwhile, here s from the ICC:

Overs 10.4: NOT OUT! It was a quick run and the fielder Rumman Raees was quick to respond but the throw was a little off target and though Sarfraz did reach in time, he couldn t dislodge the bails before Faf just made it to the crease. The third upmire had a good look at it and declared it not out.

Overs 10: So we re into the final quarter of the match and the World-XI are 72 for 2, needing another 103 runs off the last 60 balls with 8 wickets in hand. They have two South Africans, Hashmi Amla and the skipper Faf du Plesis, at the crease and it s already a thriller.

Overs 9.2: OUT! Tim Paine has been cleaned by Imad Wasim. It remained low and skidded through his legs. Paine scored 10 runs off 12 balls and World-XI are now 71 for 2.

And here s Tamim s wicket. You ve got to watch this!

Overs 8.2: SIX! Hashmi Amla is just unstoppable. That was swept over the deep square leg boundary for the maximum. A treat to watch! 

Overs 6.5: FOUR! That was paddled by Tim Paine, the new man in after Tamim s dismissal. It was in the air for a while but Sohail Khan couldn t run back quick enough and that has gone to the boundary.

Overs 6: So World-XI are 49 for 1 at the end of the powerplay and this catch by Shoaib Malik might get Pakistan a window to get back into this game now.

Overs 5.3: OUT! And Tamim is gone. What a catch by Shoaib Malik there at short fine leg. T.H.A.T I.S. E.X.C.E.P.T.I.O.N.A.L.

And these spectators are making some noise right now.

Overs 3.5: FOUR! And again. He doesn t need to move his feet. Plays it on the up and it s a boundary again. World-XI are 41 for no loss.

Overs 3.3: FOUR! That s a super stroke by Hashim Amla through the covers.

Overs 3: World-XI are to a flying start. They are 30 for no loss and both the openers seem to be in great touch.

Overs 2.6: FOUR! Again! Down on his knee and it was struck with force, clearing the backward square leg boundary easily.

Overs 2.2: FOUR! That s a fine sweep shot. Tamim finding the proper connection now.

Overs 2.1: SIX! Tamim is a beast. That wasn t even properly connected. Still flew over the long-off boundary for the maximum.

Overs 1.6: FOUR! First boundary of the innings as Amla plays it off his legs towards the midwicket boundary. 14 for no loss.

Overs 1: Nothing sensational. Five runs off the first over. Sohail Khan to bowl from the other end now.

And we re back. Tamim Iqbal and Hashim Amla have come out in pursuit of the target of 175 runs set by Pakistan for them. How well will they fare? Let s see. Imad Wasim has the ball.

Pakistan innings

Overs 20: So it s over. Pakistan has set World-XI a target of 175 runs. Almost everyone chipped in. Fakhar Zaman scored 21, Shahzad scored 43, Babar Azam made 45 runs while Shoaib Malik scored 39 runs to take the score to a good fighting total. World-XI openers will be out in the ground shortly and we re surely in for a fascinating contest. Will catch you in a while.

Thou shalt not disagree!

Overs 19.6: OUT! Collingwood is a class act. He s dived in low to take that spectacular catch, getting Shoaib Malik out for 39 runs off 23 balls that he scored with the help of 3 sixes, 1 boundary and a dropped catch.

Overs 19.5: SIX! This time it has connected well. Malik has lifted it brilliantly, just clearing the long-on fielder for six runs.

Who drops these? 

Overs 19.3: DROPPED! That was a full toss on his legs and Malik tried to make the maximum out of it but located the fielder somehow in the deep. But Miller has dropped a sitter there. How could he miss that?

Overs 19.1: SIX! That was a bouncer and Malik has hooked it for a six.

Overs 18.6: OUT! And he s gone first ball he faced. Golden Duck for the skipper. He was trying to cut it to the third man and hit it straight to him in the process. 157 for 5.

Sarfraz is the new man in. 

Overs 18.4: OUT! Imad Wasim wanted to paddle sweep it walking across the stumps. He failed to make a proper connection and was caught at short fine leg. Pakistan have lost their 4th wicket for 156. Imad Wasim scored 15 runs off 11 balls with the help of 2 boundaries.

Overs 18.1: 2 runs. It was hit hard by Wasim but couldn t clear the boundary.

Overs 18.1: That was above waist height by Perera and it s a No Ball. Imad Wasim gets a free hit.

Overs 18: 150 is up and Pakistan are now 151 for 3 at the end of the 18th over.

Overs 17.4: FOUR! Lovely that was. It was angling into his legs and he just helped it on its way, walking across the wickets.

Overs 17.2: FOUR! That was powerfully hit by Imad Wasim down the ground.

Just asking...

Overs 16.2 OUT! And Babar has miscued it. No timing whatsoever. He was looking to hit it over the long-on boundary for a six but managed only to sky it, making it simpler for Miller to catch it at the mid-on. Pakistan are 135 for 3.

Overs 15.5: FOUR! That was quick down the leg side and Malik simply flicked it, helping it on its way to the boundary.

Overs 15.3: SIX! Malik has punished Imran Tahir this time.

Overs 15: Pakistan are 121 for 2.

Overs 13.2: FOUR! Beautifully played for another boundary by Babar towards deep backward square leg where the fielder could do nothing except watching. Pakistan are 111 for 2.

Overs 12.4: FOUR! Babar Azam has punished Imran Tahir for bowling it just a little short and that has raced to the deep point boundary. 

Overs 12.2 OUT! Ahmed Shahzad is gone after scoring 43 runs off 34 balls, a clear improvement from his 39 runs in the first game off same number of balls.

Overs 12: Pakistan are 99 for 1 and they ll really have to accelerate now in case they want to reach anywhere near their total of the first match.

Over 11.6: SIX! And there s the first six of the match. Ahmed Shahzad has played that so well over the long-off boundary. He just went through with it. Lovely to watch the follow through of the bat. 

Overs 10.3: FOUR! He has paddled it using the pace of Imran Tahir s bowling and it s another boundary. Pakistan are 84 for 1 now. 

Overs 9.3: FOUR! That was probably the shot of the day so far. Babar has punched this straight down the ground and was hit with such power that it could break the bricks had they been anywhere near the boundary.

This nation can t give up on trolling.

Overs 9: Pakistan are 69 for 1 and Babar and Shahzad have started flexing their muscles for a big total.

Overs 8.6: FOUR! That was beautiful by Shahzad. He made room for playing that square of the wicket and then executed it with precise timing and placement.

Overs 8.2 FOUR! That was a glorious hit by Ahmed Shahzad over the bowler s head. Pakistan beginning to get back into the flow after Fakhar s departure. 61 for 1.

Overs 7.4: FOUR! Welcome boundary for Pakistan, though it wasn t really meant to go where it eventually went. Babar Azam had lashed out hard at that outside the off-stump short delivery but it took the edge and went flying to the boundary.

Overs 6: Pakistan are 43 for 1 as Morkel has bowled a brilliant 6th over here.

Electrifying atmosphere in Qaddafi Stadium 

The wind is blowing way too hard for the skirtings right now.

Overs 4.5: OUT! And Badree has got his man. It was Fakhar Zaman trying to play his favourite shot off the legs again but missed the ball and was hit on the pads right in front of the wicket. Pakistan are 41 for 1.

Overs 4.1: FOUR! Shahzad goes over the top. One bounce into the long-off boundary.

Overs 3: Pakistan are 30 for no loss after three overs and both the openers have had their share of the cake so far.

Pakistan and the World-XI for a photo together ahead of the game. (Picture courtesy ICC)

 

Overs 2.6: FOUR! This one was even better. It was short and he s cut it square of the wicket for a boundary.

Overs 2.5: FOUR! And now Ahmed Shahzad joins the party. Not that convincing but the connection was strong and he has cleared the mid-off fielder there to get a boundary.

Overs 2.2: FOUR! Is this some kind of a formula? It s Badree this time who bowled it on his legs and Zaman has meted out similar punishment.

Overs 1.6: FOUR! Again! He exposed all three stumps, the bowler followed and he played that off his legs again in the same direction.

Overs 1.5: FOUR! And there s another one. This time a lot more conventional. It was on his legs and he pulled it right of the short fine leg to get a boundary.

Overs 1.3: FOUR! First boundary of the innings and Fakhar Zaman has smashed it straight over the bowler s head. That could ve taken Ben Cutting s head with it. 

Ahmed Shahzad and Fakhar Zaman come out to open the innings for Pakistan.

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The green shirts had registered their win in the first T20 by 20 runs and lead the three-match T20 series by 1-0.

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