ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Farhan, Azam guide Pakistan to second win

Sahibzada Farhan helped Pakistan get off to a flyer Pic by Pradeep Dilrukshana

By M. Shamil Amit

A quick-fire 41 ball knock of 73 inclusive of six boundaries and five sixes by Sahibzada Farhan and a breezy 46 in 32 balls with four boundaries and a six by Babar Azam paved the way for Pakistan to record a comfortable 32 runs win over USA in a Group ‘A’ and 12th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup played under floodlights for the first time at the SSC ground yesterday.

USA set a formidable target of 191 runs for victory though began the chase positively with openers Sharyan Jahangir and Andries Gous putting on 42 runs in 29 balls and a 54 runs stand for the fourth wicket later in the innings between Shubham Ranjane who made a half ton and Milind Kumar they were able to muster a score of only 158 runs.

Pakistan after USA skipper Monank Patel winning the toss and invited to take first lease of the wicket saw openers Sahibzada Farhan and Salim Ayub giving them a flying start with the pair having things their own way and posting the sides 50 runs in just 30 balls before they were separated with the dismissal of Ayub with the pair having shared a stand of 54 runs in 31 balls.

Despite losing their second wicket two runs later Farhan found a reliable partner in Babar Azam. The pair paid scant respect as Farhan raced to his 50 runs in only 27 balls that comprised four boundaries and four sixes and the pair then put up Pakistan’s 100 runs on the board coming off 72 balls.

This followed with the 50 runs stand for the third wicket between the pair. They continued to torment the USA bowlers before spinner Mohammad Mohsin made the breakthrough with the wicket of Azam who together with Farhan shared a third wicket partnership of 81 runs in 52 balls and Pakistan on 137 for 3 in the 15th over.

Farhan did not last long as he fell victim to spinner Harmeet Singh.

Pakistan left with just under four overs to negotiate at that saw them losing wickets at regular intervals but Shadab Khan who cracked 30 in 12 balls with four boundaries and a six helped bolster Pakistan end their innings with a formidable score of 190 for 9. Pakistan accumulated 47 runs in the last 25 balls.

Result:

At SSC – Pakistan won by 32 runs
Pakistan: 190 for 9 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 73, Babar Azam 46, Shadab Khan 30, Saim Ayub 19: Shadley van Schalkwyk 4/25)

USA: 158 for 8 in 20 overs (Shubham Ranjane 51, Shayan Jahangir 49, Milind Kumar 29: Usman Tariq 3/27, Shadab Khan 2/26)