Pakistan All Stars cricketer Shoaib Malik (R) plays a shot as International World XI wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad (L) watches on October 20, 2012. – Photo by AFP

KARACHI: Fast bowler Tabish Khan achieved a hat trick while Umar Akmal and Shahzaib Hasan hit rapid half centuries as the Pakistan All Stars defeated an International World XI by 84 runs in a Twenty20 on Saturday.  

The exhibition match before a capacity crowd of 35,000 at the National Stadium marked the return of international cricket of a sort in Pakistan after 3 1/2 years. All major test teams have avoided Pakistan since the deadly attack on the Sri Lanka team convoy at Lahore in March 2009.

Pakistan posted a mammoth 222-7 with Akmal unbeaten on 67 off 37 balls and opening batsman Hasan escaping three dropped catches to score 54 off 21 balls with six boundaries and four sixes.

Khan then clean bowled Ricardo Powell (5), Jermaine Lawson (0) and Thandi Tshabalala (0) off successive deliveries to restrict an International World XI made up of Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies and Afghanistan players to 138-8.

Pakistan All Stars XI 222-7 (Umar Akmal 67 not out, Shahzaib Hasan 54; Thandi Tshabalala 3-20, Shapoor Zadran 2-38) def. International World XI 138-8 (Shapoor Zadran 42; Tabish Khan 3-25, Wahab Riaz 2-17) by 84 runs.

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