BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan Champions have won the toss and elected to bat first against India Champions in the blockbuster World Championship of Legends Final here at Edgbaston on Saturday.
PLAYING XIs
Pakistan Champions: Younis Khan (c), Kamran Akmal, Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Aamer Yamin, Sohail Tanvir, Sohail Khan and Wahab Riaz.
India Champions: Yuvraj Singh (c), Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Pawan Negi, Harbhajan Singh, Vinay Kumar, Anureet Singh, Rahul Shukla.
Pakistan Champions beat West Indies Champions by 20 runs in the first semi-final to make their way to the World Championship of Legends Final before India Champions joined their arch-rivals with an 86-run thrashing of Australia Champions.
The two arch-rivals faced each other earlier in the tournament with Pakistan Champions recording a thumping 68-run victory.
Batting first, Pakistan Champions registered a mammoth total of 243/4, courtesy of quickfire half-centuries by Sharjeel Khan, Kamran Akmal and Sohaib Maqsood.
Akmal and Sharjeel hit the India Champions all around the ground and recorded a belligerent partnership.
The duo had taken Pakistan Champions to 132 for no loss at the halfway mark as 250 looked like an achievable total.
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Pacer Anureet Singh then drew a much-needed success for India Champions when he finally got rid of threatening Sharjeel.
The left-handed opener smashed seven fours and five sixes on his way to a 30-ball 72.
Walking out to bat at No.3, Sohaib Maqsood made sure the Pakistan Champions did not lose momentum and added further to the misery of the India Champions.
He was involved in an important second-wicket partnership with Kamran Akmal, who fell victim to Pawan Negi in the 14th over.
Kamran remained the top-scorer for the Pakistan Champions with 77 off 40 deliveries, laced up with nine fours and four sixes.
Maqsood then joined forces with active senior all-rounder Shoaib Malik and formed yet another crucial partnership for Pakistan Champions.
The duo of Maqsood and Malik added 41 runs for the third wicket before RP Singh dismissed him in the 18th over.
Maqsood scored a brisk 51 off 26 deliveries, peppered with two fours and five sixes.
Chasing a daunting total of 244, India Champions only managed 175/9 in the allotted overs despite Suresh Raina’s half-century.
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