Hashim Amla, Thisara Perera punish Pakistan to give World XI seven-wicket win

Courtesy: Twitter

New Delhi: South African legend Hashim Amla played a classic knock to help World XI beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the second T20I match of the ongoing Independence Cup at at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Wednesday. (As it happened || Scorecard)

Amla, who was unbeaten on 72 off 55, got just the perfect partner in Thisara Perera as the asking rate continued to climb with eash passing over. But the Sri Lankan all-rounder made sure the visiting  team win the match keep the series. He played a blazing 19-ball 47  with five sixes. The left-handed batsman even hit a six to finish the match.

It was indeed a thriller that Lahore needed with a suicide bombing killing at least three persons near Kabul's International Cricket Stadium in neighburing Afghanistan. That unfortunate event happened minutes ahead of the start of the second match in Lahore.

Pakistan had the sight, and got more than enough chances to wrap up the three-match series, but lapses in the field allowed the World XI to win the match. The series finale will be played 
on Friday (September 15) at the same venue.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan captain captain Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and elected to bat. Their middle-order continued the good form, despite none of them reaching the 50-run mark. 174/6 looked a good total, but once Amla dropped anchor, it became an inpossible task to defend. Then, there was Perera producing the fireworks.

For Pakistan, Babar Azam (45) and Ahmed Shehzad (43) led the scoring charts even as the lower-order batsmen found it tough going on a slow and low pitch later in the innings.

Perera, for his all-rounder tag, was among the wickets too, claiming two scalps. West Indian spinner Samuel Badree also claimed two wickets.

Pakistan beat the Faf du Plessis-led world team by 20 runs yesterday in a match which marked the return of international cricket to trouble country.