Daily Times

LAHORE: Ahmad Shahzad played a scintillating knock of 89 as clinical Pakistan thrashed World XI by 33 runs in the third and final Twenty20 International at Gaddafi Stadium to win the three-match series, dubbed as Independence Cup, 2-1 here on Friday evening. The successful completion of the event is another milestone in the revival of international cricket in Pakistan, which has suffered a dearth of opportunities on home ground since the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore. “I am over the moon,” said Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi, who was asked to say a few words after the final. “Pakistanis, congratulations, congratulations, congratulations!”

Chasing a target of 184 runs, set by the hosts, the visitors could manage only 150 runs for the loss of eight scalps. World XI could never get any partnership going, and in a repeat of the first game, found themselves reduced to disjointed cameos as wickets tumbled. The game appeared to be on knife’s edge until the last few overs, when Pakistan regained control of the innings, taking crucial wickets as the international side began giving the green shirts the run-around with a series of hard knocks. Pakistan were labouring under the aggressive batting of heavy-hitter Thisara Perera – who smashed a boundary and three sixes off young Shadab Khan – when he was caught by Babar Azam off a delivery from Rumman Raees at 32.

Although the international team had opened their innings with hard knocks from Tamim Iqbal, the Bangladesh cricketer was bowled by Usman Khan in the second over at 14. In the fifth over, Hassan Ali bowled Ben Cutting out for five, while Hashim Amla was run out the very next ball for 21. An inside edge by George Bailey went on the dislodge the leg stump as he tried to get a boundary against Imad Wasim in the sixth over, and then World XI skipper Faf du Plessis was run out for 13 off 13 balls in the 10th over. T20 cricket might be a batsman’s game, but the Pakistan’s bowlers showed why in full form, they are the hottest property in world cricket. Pakistan never really let the opposition’s big hitters free their arms. The fast bowlers, in particular, were superb.

Shahzad propels Pakistan to 183: Earlier, the star-studded World XI side restricted Pakistan to 183 runs for the loss of four wickets after the visitors’ skipper du Plessis won the toss and put Pakistan in to bat first, as was the case in the first two matches of the series. Pakistan openers Fakhar Zaman and Shahzad slowly piled on the pressure in the first innings with aggressive knocks, striking up a 61-run partnership. But with Fakhar falling to a run-out at the hands of Darren Sammy, the heat returned to the batting side, as Shahzad and Babar struggled to keep the total moving. Shahzad was the highest run-scorer in the Pakistan innings, with 89 runs off 55 balls, including eight boundaries. He was run-out after three back-to-back sixes in the 17th over. The superb partnership between Shahzad and Babar added 102 off 57 balls.

World XI made two changes, with former Australian captain George Bailey getting his first game of the tour, while crowd favourite Darren Sammy also returned after sitting out of the second game. England’s World T20 winning captain Paul Collingwood and Tim Paine were left out. Paine sitting out also meant Bailey would keep wickets. Pakistan were boosted by the return of Hasan Ali, who didn’t play on Wednesday because of a back niggle. He was in for fast bowler Sohail Khan, who conceded 42 off his four overs, including 20 off the penultimate over in a tense chase, in the second T20I.