Pakistan Over-60s edge out England in last over thriller

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Over-60s cricket team started their tour of England on a winning note as they edged out the hosts by four wickets in the first one-dayer at Park Avenue Cricket Club, Bradford, on Monday evening.

Pakistan have gone one-up in the five-match series being played for Royal Nawab Cup. Chasing a daunting target of 295 in 45 overs, Pakistan needed 15 runs for victory in the final over with four wickets in hand. The requirement was down to four off the last two balls and Zafar Ali drove the penultimate delivery for a boundary to take the visitors home with a ball to spare. Saleem Malik was at the non-striker’s end when the winning shot was executed.

Zafar Ali was adjudged Player-of-the-Match for his fine all-round performance as he followed up his three-wicket haul with an unbeaten 33 which got Pakistan over the line. The home skipper, Richard Merriman, elected to bat after winning the toss. England Over-60s seemed to have done a fine job by accumulating 294 runs for the loss of eight wickets in the allotted 45 overs although they looked poised for a bigger total after a powerful start. Montie Douglas was the top scorer with 87 off as many balls while opener Nick Graywood (52 off 59 balls) and Jim Phillips (32 off 21 balls) also contributed their bit. Zafar Ali (3-65) and Sagheer Abbas (2-50) were the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan. The 94-run opening partnership between Muhammad Aslam (48 off 57 balls).