Thisara blitz gets World XI back in the series

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Proteas’ opener Hashim Amla played a excellent knock in the World XI’s pursuit of 175 in Lahore but as he started to falter Thisara Perera produced a powerful finish to seal victory over Pakistan by seven wickets in the second T20I.

The hosts had posted a total of 174 for six but had looked set to go on to a bigger score.

Fakhar Zaman (21) and Ahmed Shehzad (43) gave Pakistan a solid start before Samuel Badree trapped the former leg before.

Pakistan raced a 100 but upon reaching triple figures Imran Tahir plucked out Shehzad via a well taken catch in the deep from David Miller.

Shoaib Malik joined Babar Azam at the crease taking the game forward and becoming Pakistan’s all-time leading scorer in the shortest format of the game.

The fall of Babar (45) in the 17th over followed by the loss of Imad Wasim (15) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (0) in the 19th over stunted their push to a big total.

Amla would bat through the World XI innings but was lacking a partner until the arrival of Thisara with the game slipping away from the tourists.

The Proteas stalwart kept the World XI in the game even as he lost Tamim Iqbal (23), Tim Paine (10) and skipper Faf du Plessis (20).

Thisara (47*) was sent in ahead of David Miller and Paul Collingwood which would prove an inspired decision despite the Sri Lanka allrounder struggling to middle the ball and relying on brute force to muscle the ball to the boundary.

With Amla (72*) a spent force in the final over slumped on his haunches at the non-strikers end and the World XI needing six to win off two balls the left-hander struck a full toss sweetly and sent it sailing over the boundary at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore.

The series is now locked at 1-1 with one T20I to play.

Independence Cup World XI tour to Pakistan

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