Pakistan marked the arrival of international cricket in the country with a convincing series-clinching win over World XI in the third and final T20I in Lahore on Friday (September 15). The series was evenly poised after Thisara Perera’s heroics earned the visitors an unlikely win in the second game, but the hosts thoroughly dominated the series-decider to win the game by 33 runs and clinch the series 2-1.
Pakistan’s innings was once again built around opener Ahmed Shehzad and Babar Azam. The Men in Green went off to a solid start with Fakhar Zaman and Shehzad adding 61 runs for the first wicket before the former was run out for 27. Shehzad and Babar then shared their second century-plus stand in the series to pave the way for a challenging total. The duo added 102 for the second wicket before Shehzad fell just 11 runs short of his second T20 hundred as he attempted a single off a wide ball and was run out. His 89-run knock cam off only 55 balls and was studded with eight boundaries and three sixes.
Babar was dismissed for 31-ball 48 run knock while Shoaib Malik once again helped the hosts to end the innings strongly as he slammed two sixes to score 17 off seven as Pakistan finished on 183 for 4.
In reply, World XI’s reply was very much over after they were reduced to 67 for 5 in the tenth over. At 41 for one after the 4th over, the visitors were looking well on course to give the hosts a stiff challenge, but three wickets inside 12 runs all but sealed their fate.
World XI’s hopes were revived after Thisara Perera slammed 32 off just 13 balls including three sixes and two fours and David Miller hit 32 off 29 but they were eventually reduced to 150 for 8.
The successful hosting of the series will, meanwhile, hopefully, pave the way for the return of international teams in Pakistan where barring Zimbabwe in 2015, no team had toured since 2009 when militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus.
Brief scores:
Pakistan 183 for 4 (Shehzad 89, Babar 48, Perera 2-37) beat World XI 150 for 8 (Perera 32, Miller 32, Hasan Ali 2-28) by 33 runs