F.P. Report
LAHORE: Green shirts Tuesday defeated World XI by 20 runs in its first match played at Gaddafi stadium here.
Pakis blocked the route of victory by successfully defending the target as green shirts set a target of 198 runs with blistering 86 runs innings of Babar Azam. Babar Azam played a magnificent knock but fell short of his century when he was dismissed by Imran Tahir for 86.
The World XI won the toss and elected to bowl first against Pakistan. Pakistan lost its first wicket in the very first over of the game as Fakhar Zaman edged to first slip on the bowl of Morne Morkel. After the dismissal of Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam was joined on the crease by Ahmad Shahzad.
Babar Azam and Ahmed Shahzad put on a solid partnership for the third wicket, however, both were dismissed within a few overs of each other. Pakistan lost its second wicket when Ahmed Shahzad (39) was dismissed by Ben Cutting in the 15th over of the innings.
Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed failed to score big as he was caught behind on a delivery of Sri lankan bowler Thesara Perera. Ahmed scored 4 runs.
Shoaib Malik took ahead Pakistani innings with his formidable 38 runs off 20 balls. He scored four boundaries and two sixes.
Malik was dismissed by Sri lankan bowler Thisara Perera. Imad Wasim was the next batsman to come. He scored a massive six in the last ball of the Pakistani batting inning. World XI openers Hashim Amla and Tamim Iqbal steadily kicked off the innings against Pakistan while chasing 198 runs to win the first match.
Pakistan got their first breakthrough as fast bowler Rumman Raees dismissed Iqbal by bolding him out in his first over. In the same over, Raees also took the wicket of in-form Hashim Amla. With Amla’s dismissal, Skipper Faf du Plessis came on the crease.
The skipper played a brief but a classic inning of 29 off 18 balls, which included four boundaries and a six. Shadab Khan took the breakthrough for Pakistan by dismissing him by his googly.
Tim Paine departed on the score 25 off 25 after falling prey to the delivery of Sohail Khan. Shadab was seen overwhelmed with passion after dismissing David Miller on the very next ball after getting hit out of the ground.
