KARACHI: Pakistan Veterans registered a thrilling three-wicket victory over England Veterans in their final round match of World Cup 2018 at the Coogee Oval in Sydney on Sunday.
Pakistan, who finished second in the points table at the end of the preliminary rounds, will meet third-placed England in the semi-final at the Rosedale Oval on Monday (today). Hosts Australia, who topped the points table, will be pitted against fourth-placed New Zealand in the other semi-final at the Hurstville Oval. With the last league match only of an academic interest, Pakistan opted to rest skipper Ghulam Ali, Sajid Ali and Shahid Anwar. Pakistan were led by Ghaffar Kazmi.
England were bowled out for 137 in 44.5 overs with Mel Hussein (35), Neil Brathwaite (22) and Scott Scratton (19) being their leading scorers as the innings was rocked by leg-spinner Zafar Ali, who captured four wickets for 17 runs off 6.5 overs.
Asif Hayat delivered a tight spell of eight overs, returning the figures of two for 25. Asim Jah, Amir Tauseef and Javed Hafeez were the other wicket-takers. England fought back gallantly while defending what looked a modest score and it became a tense battle when Pakistan lost their seventh wicket before reaching 100.
Sagheer Abbas, who was adjudged Man of the Match, kept his cool in the trying conditions to finish with an unbeaten 35 off 62 balls, which got Pakistan over the line in the 39th over.Javed Hafeez remained undefeated on 21. Sean Cooper (2-15), Mel Hussein (2-19) and Mo Fayyaz (2-35) bowled well.In other seventh round league matches, Australia hammered Sri Lanka by 97 runs, New Zealand outplayed South Africa by eight wickets and Wales overcame Canada by six wickets.
