PAK-L vs WI-L

That completes the second double header for us at the World Championship of Legends. We will see the return of West Indies Champions tomorrow as they take on India Champions. Join us for that one too. This is Dwaipayan Mukherjee, signing off with my co-commentator Arya. 

Shoaib Malik, Player of The Match : Yes, I am happy, we crossed the line and when we see a win in the end, it is all worth it. Against pacers, it was quite easy but it was challenging against the spinners. Credit to Sharjeel and Maqsood for the way they batted. I wanted to hit more boundaries at the end but the Caribbean bowlers also did well. I did not train a lot recently, I was sitting with a news channel and covering the World Cup but good to be back here and perform with bat and ball, it is something that I have always enjoyed doing. 

Younis Khan, Pakistan Champions captain : It is good, all credit goes to the team. They played well. We were in doubt whether to bat or bowl first. Sharjeel and Maqsood put up a great partnership for us and then the legend Shoaib Malik took matters into his own hands and took us to a great score. I have played a lot here and it is great to be back. These are familiar territories for me. We really enjoy being back together, not only the players we play with but also the fact that we get to play against certain players, with whom we have had fond memories throughout our playing careers is something that we deeply cherish. I want to thank all the enthusiastic Pakistan supporters who turned up in huge numbers tonight and hopefully they continue to support us for the upcoming matches as well. 

Chris Gayle, West Indies Champions captain : It was a good game overall but we couldn't make the adjustment. They scored 190 and we didn't got going with the bat. First game and we should be ready for the next game tomorrow. 190 was actually chaseable. The spinners are going to play a part and we knew what they had to offer. First time, we didn't get a result but so be it. Nice to see some Caribbean supporters. It's fantastic to see them support Pakistan and West Indies.

Pakistan Champions (194 for 8) defeat West Indies Champions (164 for 9) by 30 runs

Dwayne Smith - 65 (46) | Jonathan Carter - 34 (25) 
Sohail Tanvir - 4/14 | Shahid Afridi - 3/40 

It began in the most Test match-like conditions where Sohail Tanvir and Aamer Yamin got plenty of movement from the deck. In a span of 3-4 overs, there were atleast a dozen LBW shouts made to the umpires in the middle before Chris Gayle was the first to depart after scoring just a couple of runs and almost facing a dozen deliveries. 

For the longest time, the Walton-Smith partnership stayed behind the scoring rate with Wahab Riaz removing Walton in what was a played on bowled dismissal. Jonathan Carter stitched a fine partnership with Dwayne Smith, particularly accelerating after the 10th over that made things slightly worrying for the men in green, atleast momentarily. 

The 80 run partnership came from just 47 balls but it was Wahab Riaz who knocked over his second victim of the day with Carter leaving the scene just when they looked like they were going to get that one big over. Post that, wickets fell at regular intervals and Tanvir dismissed many batters to the extent that he even faced a hattrick opportunity. 

4 out of the top 5 batters got bowled in this batting exhibition and once Dwayne Smith departed the scene, the writing was on the wall for Chris Gayle and his men. Tanvir dismissed Jerome Taylor to picked up his 4th wicket of the match to leave the West Indies on the brink of defeat.

In the end, it was a comfortable win by 29 runs for the Pakistan side who will face India Champions next on Saturday evening! Presentations to follow soon here. 

19.6 Shahid Afridi to Jason Mohammed, that's the game set and match. Jason comes down the track and slices it away towards long off for a single. Pakistan Champions win by 30 runs. 

19.5 Shahid Afridi to Jason Mohammed, FOUR! Flatter and shorter outside off, Jason hangs back and cuts it away fiercely past the backward point region and off to the fence it goes. 

19.2 Shahid Afridi to Sulieman Benn, WICKET! That was a quicker delivery from Afridi and Benn had just no idea whatsoever. Comes down the track and swings across the line blindly, gets beaten all ends up and Kamran Akmal behind the stumps does the rest, whips off the bails in a flash and West Indies have lost their 9th wicket. 

Sulieman Benn st Kamran Akmal b Shahid Afridi 5 (3b, 1x4, 0x6) 

19.1 Shahid Afridi to Sulieman Benn, FOUR! Tossed-up delivery around the off-stump channel, Benn gets down on one knee and goes for the slog sweep, more of a cloft and has enough to find the deep square leg fence.  

18.6 Sohail Tanvir to Jason Mohammed, pace-off good-length delivery a shade outside off, Jason goes swiping across the line and gets beaten, that kept a bit low.  

18.4 Sohail Tanvir to Jerome Taylor, WICKET! Taylor has to depart after an impressive cameo. Was a slower delivery from Tanvir, on a good-length around middle. Taylor shuffles across the off stump and tries to ramp it over the fine leg region, the pace wasn't quite there and he only manages to lob that up in the air and the short fine leg fielder Abdul Razzaq dives in front and clings onto it. 

Jerome Taylor c Abdul Razzaq b Sohail Tanvir 13 (6b, 0x4, 2x6)