Sri Lanka all-rounder smashed 47 off 19 balls while Hashim Amla made 72 off 55 as World XI won by 7 wickets with a ball to spare chasing 175.

By Abdullah Ansari (13th September, 2017)

Pakistan XI: Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfaraz Ahmed (c, wk), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Sohail Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Rumman Raees, Usman Khan Shinwari.

World XI: Tamim Iqbal, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis (c), Paul Collingwood, David Miller, Tim Paine (wk), Ben Cutting, Thisara Perera, Samuel Badree, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir.

Sarfaraz Ahmed won the toss this time around and opted to bat as Pakistan brought Nawaz and Shinwari into the lineup at the expense of Faheem and Hasan. Morkel began with a tight over to openers Shehzad and Fakhar but the latter cashed in on some ordinary bowling from Cutting in the next. Three boundaries followed off Badree's over but Morkel returned with another good over to pull things back. Badree then struck in his second over, removing Fakhar for a 13-ball 21, LBW. Babar began slowly in contrast to the previous match while Shehzad manoeuvred strike and hit the odd boundary. None of the middle over were particularly fruitful for Pakistan barring one from the lacklustre Cutting. However, Shehzad was soon dismissed by Tahir, caught at the boundary after making 43 off 34. Babar picked up the pace somewhat as Malik settled in, with the latter then taking Tahir apart in his last over. Badree bowled another good over, his last and also picked up Babar's wicket for a 38-ball 45 while the next over saw Imad hit a couple of boundaries off Morkel. A good death over from Perera saw both Sarfaraz and Imad dismissed in quick succession but Malik took full toll off the last over from the unfortunate Cutting, smashing 17 off it before being dismissed on the last ball for 39 off 23 as Pakistan ended with 174/7.

The World XI innings began with a couple of good overs from Imad and Sohail but Tamim got the momentum back for his side with a big over off Imad's bowling, taking 16 off it. Shinwari first and only over off the night was dispatched for 10 with Amla playing some delightful shots. Rumman came on to bowl and delivered a tight over, with Sohail benefiting in the next as Tamim (23 off 19) was caught superbly by Malik. The spinners then all joined in with Imad capping off a good spell by dismissing Paine who contributed just 10 off 12. By the half way stage, the required rate had exceeded 10. Amla and du Plessis kept their side in the hunt with boundaries off the spin off Nawaz and Shadab before the former dismissed the World XI captain for 20 off 14, caught in the deep. Another good Shadab over saw the required rate near 13 as Amla got to a 37-ball fifty. The veteran then took 12 off Rumman's over to maintain the balance. Another two overs passed with World XI not keeping up with the rate, leading the equation to read 33 off 12 balls. However, Perera smashed two sixes off Sohail and took 20 off his over to leave 13 needed off the last. That became 6 off 2 as Amla failed to hit the big shot with Perera given the strike. The Sri Lankan wasted no time, smashing Rumman's full toss for his fifth six of the night, finishing the match with a ball to spare. Amla was 72* off 55 at the end while Perera contributed 47* off just 19 balls.

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