South African legend Hashim Amla played a classical 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.


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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.


SCORECARD || MATCH REPORT


WORLD XI INNINGS; TARGET 175


Over 19.5 || Score 175/3 (Hashim Amla 72; Thisara Perera 47)


What a thriller in Lahore. Pakistan had the sight, but few lapses in the field allowed the World XI to win the match by seven wickets and level the series. The visitors rode on Hashim Amla's brilliant 72. The South African got the much needed support from Thisara Perera, who played a sparkling knock of 47. 


Over 18 || Score 142/3 (Hashim Amla 69; Thisara Perera 19)


Good response from Rumman Raees to end the 18th over with two dot balls. He was previously hit for a huge six by Thisara Perera. The over resulted in eight runs. Huge one in the context of the match, as the visitors still need another 33 runs in 12 balls.


Over 15 || Score 112/3 (Hashim Amla 55; Thisara Perera 3)


Hashim Amla registered his fifty but, lost his captain Faf du Plessis soon after reaching the mini milestone.


WICKET: Faf du Plessis c Shadab Khan b Mohammad Nawaz 20 (14)


That happened off the last ball of the 14th over. Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera is the new man for the World XI, and they now need another 63 runs from 30 balls to level the series.


Over 13 || Score 96/2 (Hashim Amla 40; Faf du Plessis 4)


Hashim Amla one short a majestc fifty. World XI need 79 runs in 42 balls. The Proteas in the centre, Amla and Faf du Plessis have added 25 in 22 balls as the visitors look to build a match-winning stand.


Over 11 || Score 78/2 (Hashim Amla 40; Faf du Plessis 4)


Hashim Amla in complete control, but the World XI lost Tim Paine, bowled by a Imad Wasim beauty.


WICKET: Tim Paine b Imad Wasim 10 (12)


That happened off the second ball of the 10th over. Paine's fall brought two South Africans together, with skipper Faf du Plessis joining Amla.


Over 8 || Score 60/ (Hashim Amla 28; Tim Paine 8)


Veteran Shoaib Malik took a stunning catch at short fine leg to remove Tamim Iqbal. Sohail Khan did well to keep testing the risk taking batsman.


WICKET: Tamim Iqbal c Shoaib Malik b Sohail Khan 23(19)


Tim Paine joined Hashim Amla in the centre.


Over 5 || Score 44/0 (Tamim Iqbal 23; Hashim Amla 20)


Hashim Alma has taken over the attacking reigns from Tamim Iqbal. Poor Usman Khan, he could just watch and drop his shoulders. In the fourth over, Amla hit thr Pakistan medium-pacer for two fours, off the third and fifth deliveries. First one was a classic punch, with the force of hurricane, and the second one, also a force of nature with little more artistic bent.


Over 3 || Score 30/0 (Tamim Iqbal 22; Hashim Amla 8)


Tamim Iqbal toyed with Imad Wasim, hitting Pakistani bowler for a six and two fours in the third over of the inning. 16 runs came from the over.


In the previous over, the World XI added nine runs with both Iqbal and Hashim Amla showing their world class. Poor Sohail Khan, he was doing everything he could do.


Over 1 || Score 5/0 (Tamim Iqbal 3; Hashim Amla 2)


Tidy spell from Imad Wasim. Five runs from the over. For the World XI, Bangladesh's Tamim Iqbal and South African legend Hashim Amla opened the innings.


PAKISTAN INNINGS


Over 20 || Score 174/6 (Sohail Khan 1)


Shoaib Malik started the final over with a six, then took a couple to retain the strike. A wide followed as Ben Cutting struggled. He was unlucky though, as David Miller dropped Malik. A single for the shot, then another. Malik hit another six, but holed out trying to smoke the last ball for a six. Paul Collingwood took the catch.


17 runs from the over, and Cutting's figures read: 4-0-52-1.


So the target is 175.


Over 19 || Score 157/5 (Shoaib Malik 24; Sohail Khan 0)


One eventfull over. Thisara Perera removed Imad Wasim and Sarfraz Ahmed to stall Pakistan's march a bit. But there still is Shoaib Malik.


Six runs, which included a no ball, and two wickets from the over. One good penultimate over for the visitors.


Over 18 || Score 151/3 (Shoaib Malik 22; Imad Wasim 12)


Pakistan lost set batsman Babar Azam in the 17th over, but that hasn't disturb their momentum with World XI bowlers faling to tie down the hosts batsmen.


WICKET: Babar Azam c David Miller b Samuel Badree 45(38)


Shoaib Malik's been good nick, and so thus just arrived Imad Wasim. Meanwhile, Samuel Badree has completed his spell, with figures of 4-0-31-2.


Over 15 || Score 121/2 (Babar Azam 44; Shoaib Malik 7)


After the departure of Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam has taken up the mettle even as slight drizzle came down.


Yes, Shehzad tried to dismiss a Imran Tahir delivery, but ended up getting himself out. Good catch by ever reliable David Miller. 


WICKET: Ahmed Shehzad c David Miller b Imran Tahir 43(34)


That happened off the second ball of the 13th over. And experiended Shoaib Malik arrived in the centre.


Over 12 || Score 99/1 (Ahmed Shehzad 43; Babar Azam 29)


After a slow start to theie partnership, Ahmed Shehzad and Babar Azam have posted a half-century stand for the second wicket in Lahore.


Meanwhile, Faf du Plessis also introduced Imran Tahir, in the 11th over. The spinner leaked nine runs. Then, Shehzad took on Ben Cutting, hitting the medium pacer for a huge six off the last ball of the 12th over. 12 runs came from that over.


Earlier, Thisara Perera bowled his second over, coneding nine runs.


Over 9 || Score 69/1 (Ahmed Shehzad 32; Babar Azam 11)


Then, Paul Collingwood showed age does matter. One indifferent over from the 41-over, leaking 14 runs. Ahmed Shehzad his his for two fours, off the second and sixth deliveries. Then there was a wide, a couple and three ones too.


In the previous over, Thisara Perera conceded eight runs from his first over.


Over 7 || Score 47/1 (Ahmed Shehzad 18; Babar Azam 4)


Good period of play for the World XI. After removing Fakhar Zaman, Morne Morkel and Paul Collingwood have tied down both Ahmed Shehzad and Babar Azam with tidy spells.


The veteran Englishman's brilliant. Four runs from his first over. Morkel leaked just one run in the 6th over.


Over 5 || Score 42/1 (Ahmed Shehzad 11; Babar Azam 1)


World XI got the break-through, thanks to a Samuel Badree beauty. Off the fift ball of the over, Badree managed to trap dangerous Fakhar Zamal in front with a flatter, slower delivery.


WICKET: Fakhar Zaman lbw b Samuel Badree 21 (13b)


Babar Azam joined Ahmed Shahzad in the centre for Pakistan.


Over 3 || Score 30/0 (Fakhar Zaman 19; Ahmed Shehzad 10)


Another good over for the home side. Faf du Plessis introduced Samuel Badree, but the lanky Windies spinner was milked by the Pakistan openers.


Fakhar Zaman hit the second ball for a four after Ahmed Shehzad took a single off the first delivery. A single and a dot followed, then Shehzad hit the last two deliveries for fours. 14 runs from the over.


Over 2 || Score 16/0 (Fakhar Zaman 14; Ahmed Shehzad 1)


Fakhar Zaman has just started to open up, and he survived a tough chance.


The second over of the match, bowled by Ben Cutting, started with a single taken by Zaman. Another single followed, then Zaman hit the first four of the match, coming down the track. The very next ball, the left-handed batsman was tried to take on a rising bouncer, but ended up taking the glove, and the ball landed in bowler and the keeper.


Zaman, however, hit two more fours to make it a 14-run over.


Over 1 || Score 2/0 (Fakhar Zaman 1; Ahmed Shehzad 0)


Cautious start from the Pakistan openers. Fakhar Zaman took a single off the very first ball of the match, but Ahmed Shehzad consumed the remanining five deliveries to give Morne Morkel a very good first over.


Here are the playing XIs


Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed (C & wk), Imad Wasim, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Sohail Khan, Usman Khan, Rumman Raees


It means, Mohammad Nawaz comes in for Faheem Ashraf, Usman Shinwari in for Hasan Ali.


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


Samuel Badree on for Darren Sammy, while England veteran Paul Collingwood replaces Grant Elliott.


TOSS


Pakistan have won the toss and have opted to bat. BTW, the series called Independence Cup.


It's for the first time in nine years that Pakistani cricket fans got a glimpse of international cricket, even though Zimbabwe toured the country in 2015.


The World XI team mentored by Zimbabwe legend Andy Flower, has Sputh African Faf captaining the side. It consists of four other South African players – Hashim Amla, Morne Morkel, David Miller and Imran Tahir.


They are joined by three Australians – George Bailey, Ben Cutting and Tim Paine. Two from West Indies – Samuel Badree and Darren Sammy. Apart from these, there are former England batsman Paul Collingwood, Bangladeshi batsman Tamim Iqbal, Kiwi cricketer Grant Elliot and Sri Lanka's Thisara Perera in the squad.


First T20I recap:


Pakistan celebrated return of cricket in the trouble country with a thrilling 20-run win in the first T20I match against a World XI team Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore yesterday.


Playing in front of capacity Gaddafi Stadium crowd, Pakistan rode on the brilliance of Babar Azam, who made a 52-ball 86, to post 197/5 in their 20-overs' play. Veteran Shoaib Malik lent a crucial hand, scoring 38 off 20 balls.


With a boistrerous crowd behind them, Pakistan players got onto the task of defending the total with a disciplined performance. Sohail Khan, Rumman Raees and Shadab Khan took two wickets each to help Pakistan beat World XI by 20 runs.


The Faf du Plessis-led team could only managed 177/7 in reply.


New Delhi: Welcome to our live coverage of the second match of the Independence Cup T20 between Pakistan and World XI, being played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.