GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Nov 1, CMC – Adnan Akmal and Jawad Mansoor hit superb half centuries to lead a stunning Pakistan recovery and help them edge Australia by one wicket to win the International Masters Cricket (IMC) Over-40s World Cup in a thrilling final here on Saturday.
With Pakistan struggling at 103 for five, the pair shared a 115-run partnership that powered their side to 282 for nine with one ball to spare in response to Australia’s 281 for six.
Behind an impressive century from Greg Hunt, Australia posted a competitive total after choosing to bat first at the Guyana National Stadium.
Hunt hit 103 off 102 balls, with six sixes and four fours and received good support from skipper Steve Paulsen, who made 70 off 76 balls.
The pair added 128 runs for the third wicket to put Australia in a strong position of 194 for two in the 36th over.
After Paulsen was dismissed by Waseem Ali, Hunt shared a 62-run partnership with Steven Spoljaric for the fifth wicket that helped to get them up to their eventual score.
Syed Fariduddin was Pakistan’s best bowler with 4-40 while Ali took 2-64.
Australian pacer Jamie Panelli then ran through Pakistan’s top order, claiming the wickets of openers Fahad Jabbar for one, Tofeeq Umer for 11 and Imran Khan for three to reduce them to 27 for three in the ninth over.
When Sheharyar Ghani was bowled by Brenton Edwards in the next over, Pakistan was in dire straits at 36 for four.
However, Akmal and Tariq Mahmood gave them hope during a 67-run partnership, which carried them into three figures.
The contest seemed over when Paulsen returned to have Mahmood caught behind for 41 as Pakistan slumped to 103 for five in the 21st over.
But Akmal and Mansoor’s partnership breathed life back into Pakistan’s run chase and left the match evenly balanced.
Australia regained the advantage when they dismissed both batters in quick succession, with Edwards having Akmal caught for 83 off 84 balls, inclusive of 10 fours and one six, while Panelli dismissed Mansoor after he had scored 62 off 57 balls and struck seven fours and one six, to leave Pakistan 236 for seven in the 42nd over.
Fariduddin, who hit two sixes in an unbeaten 24 off 16 balls and Waseem Ali, who scored a quickfire 22 off 17, looked to have won the match for their side during a 42-run partnership that required just 21 balls.
However, Ali was needlessly run out and so too was Muhammad Khalil, with their dismissals setting up a tense finish at 280 for nine with three balls remaining.
But Fariduddin scrambled a single and last man Junaid Nainitalwala drove Panelli through the covers for the winning run off the penultimate ball of the match to spark wild celebrations from the Pakistan entourage.
Meanwhile, West Indies finished the tournament in fifth position after defeating India by 45 runs.
Opener Randy Thomas smashed 105 off 115 balls, Larry Farnum made 59 and Jason Mohamed scored 51, as the home side posted a formidable 309 for six at the Georgetown Cricket Club.
Despite half centuries from Bhupender Yadav and Jatin Saxena, India were bowled out well short of their target for 264 in 44.4 overs
Yadav made 79 off 95 balls and Saxena scored 55 off 53 balls, but India was undermined by Mohamed’s 3-36, Chris Mittelholzer’s 3-53 and Imran Khan’s 2-46.
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