In the end, it didn't matter that this match
had no official sanction. Try telling that to the tens of thousands of
people who thronged the National Stadium in Karachi. In the end, what
counted was that an international XI, no matter how ragtag and rusty it
was, had set foot on Pakistan soil, and had safely played a game
of cricket. A game, such as this, had not been played for close to four
years in a nation where following for that game frequently crosses the
line between passionate and fanatical. For the record, Pakistan All Star
XI demolished International World XI who were led by the 43-year old
Sanath Jayasuriya.
Young batsmen Umar Akmal and Shahzaib Hasan made half-centuries at
frenetic pace and were backed by handy contributions from the rest.
Pakistan XI were set on their way by the pair of Shahzaib and Imran
Nazir, who put on 83 by the time the field restrictions were lifted, at
nearly 14 an over. The International XI fielders showed they were short
on match practice by dropping numerous catches and fielding poorly on a
ground where the ropes had been pulled in. Shahzaib was the first to
fall for 54 off just 21 deliveries, which included six fours and four
sixes.
Akmal, coming in at No. 5, soon took over and blitzed ten boundaries on
his way to an unbeaten 67 off 37 as Pakistan XI zoomed to 222 for 7.
Thandi Tshabalala, the South Africa offspinner, picked up 3 for 20 while
Shapoor Zadran, the Afghanistan fast bowler, took 2 for 38.
Jayasuriya hit a six and a four in the first over of the chase but fell
of its last delivery, caught by his counterpart Shahid Afridi. Facing
such a tall target, International XI kept losing wickets regularly, and
fast bowler Tabish Khan soon dealt the decisive blows. He bowled Ricardo
Powell, Jermaine Lawson and Tshabalala off successive deliveries to
take a hat-trick and reduce International XI to 52 for 6 in the seventh
over.
Zadran stuck around to make 42 along with Loots Bosman, who batted low
at No. 9 due to an injury and remained unbeaten on 27. Pakistan used
everyone but wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed as bowlers. Afridi, who had
lasted seven balls with the bat to club three boundaries, had Zadran
stumped off the final delivery of the match as International XI managed
138 for 8.
The second and final game in the series will be played tomorrow at the same venue.
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