ICL Pakistan tame off-colour World XI

Hyderabad: It was a snub the way ICL Pakistan claimed victory over the combined might of ICL World in the second game of the Indian Cricket League’s World Series championship at the Lal Bahadur Stadium, Hyderabad.

Chasing a paltry score of 130, ICL Pakistan made short work of the total to romp home by nine wickets.

The two explosives, Abdul Razzaq and Imran Nazir, carted the World XI bowlers to every corner of the park as they cruised to their half-centuries.

Nazir hammered a 62-ball 69 while Razzaq stayed unbeaten on a 42-ball 55 to add to his stellar bowling performance earlier in the day.

With five overs to go ICL Pakistani needed only 27 runs off 30 balls. Eventually it was Elliott, of all people, who terminated the Nazir-Razzaq, 119-run opening wicket partnership by latching on to Nazir's return catch.

Would be fair to say that Chris Cairns' unit was virtually out of it in the first session.

After a positive start (41 in five overs) ICL World, as if led astray by a brain freeze, lost wickets in a heap to finish at 130/9 in 20 overs.

Shahid Nazir inflicted two quick blows dismissing Elliott and Damien Martyn. Must be said though that it was their choice of shots—most of them bordering on the insane—that did them in.

Later some controlled bowling from Arshad Khan checked the scoring rate restricting the total to 46/2 in eight overs.

Soon followed a procession of wickets with only Lou Vincent (strangely demoted down the order) and Russel Arnold, who was unbeaten on 23, putting up a semblance of resistance.

Razzaq, united with his old chums, returned for a decisive second spell to account for Vincent and Andrew Hall off successive deliveries to leave the World XI innings in total disarray at 112/7.

With no impetus in the innings, they huffed their way to what was just a face-saving total.

ICL World

Chris Cairns (captain), Andrew Hall, Chris Harris, Damien Martyn, Daryl Tuffey, Ian Harvey, Jimmy Maher, Johan Van Der Wath, Lou Vincent (wicketkeeper), Marvan Atapattu, Mathew Elliot, Michael Kasprowicz, Russel Arnold and Upul Chandana

Coach: John Emburey

ICL Pakistan

Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Arshad Khan, Hasan Raza, Humayun Farhat (wicket-keeper), Imran Farhat, Imran Nazir, Shahid Nazir, Naved-ul-Hasan, Abdul Razzaq, Taufeeq Umar, Shabbir Ahmed

Coach: Moin Khan