Pakistan put up 183/4 batting first while the pacers bowled excellently to restrict World XI to 150/8.

By Abdullah Ansari (15th September, 2017)

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

World XI: Tamim Iqbal, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis (c), George Bailey (wk), David Miller, Darren Sammy, Ben Cutting, Thisara Perera, Samuel Badree, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir.

World XI captain du Plessis won the toss and opted to field as Pakistan batted first for the third consecutive time in the Independence Cup. For a change, it was Shehzad who was the aggressor early on with a few boundaries off Morkel as Fakhar couldn't quite get going despite rotating strike on a regular basis. Perera's first over went for 13 as the openers began to up the ante. However, Sammy and Tahir bowled a couple of tight overs to lower the run-rate as the partnership passed fifty. Fakhar finally fell for 27 (25 balls) as Shehzad drove the ball back to Sammy who deflected it onto the stumps at the non-striker's end, with his partner stranded outside the crease. Shehzad motored along while Babar ensured he played minimal dot balls while also upping the tempo of the innings with a few boundaries. Shehzad got to a 37-ball fifty with the half-century stand also coming off the same number of deliveries. As Pakistan entered the death overs, Morkel was dispatched for three boundaries in an over followed by Shehzad taking on Cutting and smashing him for three consecutive sixes. Shehzad fell two balls later for 89 (coming off just 55 balls), another batsman run out after some good work by the wicket-keeper. Malik smashed sixes off Morkel and Perera at the death, with Babar dismissed by Perera for a 31-ball 48 in the last over. Imad followed suit without scoring but Pakistan finished on an impressive 183/4.

The chase began with Tamim in an aggressive mood, smacking Imad for three boundaries straight away. Usman hit back with a tight over in response and got Tamim off the last ball as he was bowled by a delivery that stayed low. Amla launched a counter-attack, hitting four boundaries in the next two overs to get the World XI chase back on track. Hasan came into the attack and soon got rid of Cutting who played on while the dangerous Amla was run out a couple of balls later after a mix-up with international team-mate du Plessis. Rumman's first over, the last of the powerplay was bowled to Bailey and turned out to be a maiden. Bailey couldn't really get going and fell a couple of overs later, chopping onto his stumps off an Imad delivery. The slow left-armers next over also yielded a wicket as a direct hit from Shadab caught du Plessis short of his crease. A couple of tight overs followed with the required rate rising to nearly 13. However, Shadab's third over saw Perera take a liking to him, smashing three consecutive sixes followed by a four as the pressure shifted back to Pakistan. Rumman returned at this point and had Perera caught for 32 off 13 with a diving Babar taking a good, low catch. Good tight overs by Usman and Rumman followed while Hasan returned to the attack and got rid of Miller who was caught at the boundary. Another superb bit of fielding from Babar saw Morkel run out and Sammy struggled to hit the big shots in the last couple of overs as Pakistan neared victory. The touring side ended at 150/8, seeing Pakistan win by 33 runs.

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