International World XI cricketer Adam Sanford (R) plays a shot on October 21, 2012 during the second Twenty 20 cricket match against Pakistan All Stars at the National Stadium in Karachi. -AFP Photo

KARACHI: Opening batsman Imran Nazir smashed 53 off 33 balls as the Pakistan All Stars XI defeated an International World XI by six wickets in the second Twenty20 exhibition match to clinch the series 2-0.    

Nazir hit five boundaries and five sixes in the All Stars' convincing 145-4 in 16.4 overs after the International World XI compiled 142-9.

The series was organized by provincial sports minister Dr. Mohammad Ali Shah, who is hoping it will help return international cricket to Pakistan. No test playing nation has toured Pakistan due to security concerns since gunmen attacked a Sri Lanka team bus in March 2009.

After being sent in to bat, the International World XI lost its captain Sanath Jayasuriya off the third ball, a contentious lbw decision by umpire Saleem Badar, after TV replays showed fast bowler Sohail Khan had pitched the ball outside the leg stump.

International World XI was reeling at 85-9 in the 16th over before No. 11 Nantie Hayward of South Africa hammered three boundaries and four sixes in an unbeaten 42 off just 16 balls that gave the total some respectability.

Leftarm spinner Faraz Ahmed took 3-20 while Tabish Khan picked up two wickets for 19 runs.

The Pakistan All Stars XI won the first match by 84 runs.

Jayasuriya said he did not see any security problems during his stay in Pakistan and enjoyed playing in front of capacity crowds of more than 32,000 at the National Stadium.

''It's high time to assess the situation here in Pakistan and convince the other cricket boards,'' he said. ''It's a big responsibility on the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) to push the other countries' cricket boards because we came here and nothing happened.''

Pakistan All Stars XI 145-4 in 16.4 overs (Imran Nazir 53, Shahzaib Hasan 39, Asad Shafiq 23 not out; Steven Taylor 3-22) def. International World XI 142-9 (Nantie Hayward 42 not out, Andre Seymore 25; Faraz Ahmed 3-20, Tabish Khan 2-19) by six wickets.

Opinion

Editorial

Digital growth
Updated 25 Apr, 2024

Digital growth

Democratising digital development will catalyse a rapid, if not immediate, improvement in human development indicators for the underserved segments of the Pakistani citizenry.
Nikah rights
25 Apr, 2024

Nikah rights

THE Supreme Court recently delivered a judgement championing the rights of women within a marriage. The ruling...
Campus crackdowns
25 Apr, 2024

Campus crackdowns

WHILE most Western governments have either been gladly facilitating Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, or meekly...
Ties with Tehran
Updated 24 Apr, 2024

Ties with Tehran

Tomorrow, if ties between Washington and Beijing nosedive, and the US asks Pakistan to reconsider CPEC, will we comply?
Working together
24 Apr, 2024

Working together

PAKISTAN’S democracy seems adrift, and no one understands this better than our politicians. The system has gone...
Farmers’ anxiety
24 Apr, 2024

Farmers’ anxiety

WHEAT prices in Punjab have plummeted far below the minimum support price owing to a bumper harvest, reckless...