Kolkata: Hashim Amla’s steady knock and Thisara Perera’s fireworks towards the dying stages helped World XI claw back with a win by seven wickets in the Independence Cup against Pakistan at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore on Thursday.
Courtesy this victory, they have levelled the three-match T20 series 1-1 with the decider to be played on September 15 at the same venue.
Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed won the toss and decided to bat first and the openers backed up this decision with some fine hitting, which saw them muster 45 runs in just 4.1 overs. Fakhar Zaman, who is known for his aggressive batting scored a 13-ball 21 while Ahmed Shehzad hit five fours and one six en route to 43 from 34 deliveries.
Babar Azam, who was the star for the home team with the bat in the last match started off in similar fashion but was dismissed by leg-spinner Samuel Badree on 45 who scalped his second of the night after he had dismissed Zaman earlier in the fifth over.
Australian all-rounder Ben Cutting, although turned about to be very expensive got into the wickets column as well as he sent back the veteran Shoaib Malik for 39 runs of 23 balls.
Imad Wasim’s 15 from 11 balls towards the end led Pakistan to 174/6 in their 20 overs. Badree and Thisara took two wickets apiece.
In reply, Amla held fort at one end, building his 72-run knock with the help of five fours and two huge hits. His partners at the other end-Tamim Iqbal (23), Faf Du Plessis (20) and Tim Paine (10) all chipped with meaningful contributions which had it’s say on the match. With World XI in a spot of bother with 69 runs needed of just six overs Thisara Perera walked in and changed the game on it’s head.
The Sri Lankan all-rounder took the attack to the opposition as he latched on to anything full and short and bludgeoned his way to 47 runs from just 19 balls with five huge sixes, one of which was the last one he hit to finish things off with a ball remaining.
Brief scores-
Pakistan 174/6 ( Babar Azam 45, Ahmed Shehzad 43; Thisara Perera 2/23) lost to World XI (Hashim Amla 72 n.o, Thisara Perera 47 n.o; Mohammad Nawaz 1/25) by seven wickets.