NORTHAMPTON (Monitoring Desk): Skipper Younis Khan scored a gutsy half-century before Sohail Khan’s four-for led Pakistan Champions to down West Indies Champions and qualify for the World Championship of Legends final.
Chasing a daunting 199-run target, West Indies Champions’ batting unit unfolded on 178 on the penultimate delivery of the innings and thus succumbed to a 20-run defeat.
Put into bat first, Pakistan Champions accumulated 198/8 in the allotted overs against a disciplined West Indies Champions’ bowling attack, led by Fidel Edwards.
Edwards ran through Pakistan Champions’ top-order, reducing the second-placed side to 10/3 in two overs Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Khan and Shoaib Malik perished cheaply. With Pakistan Champions in tatter, captain Younis Khan joined Kamran Akmal in the middle and together they anchored the innings.
The duo added 79 runs for the fourth wicket before Dwayne Smith cleaned up Akmal in the 12th over to draw curtains on his fighting knock. Akmal fell agonizingly short of a well-deserved half-century, scoring 46 off 31 deliveries, laced up with eight boundaries.
Younis then knitted a brief one-sided partnership with hard-hitting batter Shahid Afridi (1) and 11 runs to the total to take Pakistan Champions to the 100-run mark. Afridi was caught at point off SSulieman Benn, who struck again on the next delivery to send Misbah-ul-Haq packing for a golden duck as Pakistan Champions slipped to 100/6 in 12.4 overs.
Younis was then involved in yet another crucial partnership for Pakistan Champions when he raised 34 runs for the seventh wicket with Aamer Yamin before finally perishing in the 16th over. He remained the top-scorer for Pakistan Champions with a 45-ball 65, featuring six fours and a six.
Yamin then joined forces with Sohail Tanvir and the pair did well to bolster the total as they registered a quickfire 61-run partnership which lasted with the latter’s dismissal on the penultimate delivery.
Tanvir made an 18-ball 33 while Yamin scored an unbeaten 40 off 18 balls, peppered with two fours and three sixes. It is pertinent to mention that India Champions will face leaders Australia Champions in the second semi-final of the World Championship of Legends later today at the same venue.
