Pakistan crush Nepal in Over 40s Global Cup

KARACHI: Hasan Raza and Amjad Ali scored magnificent centuries and powered Pakistan to a thumping 248-run victory over Nepal to taste their second consecutive victory in the ongoing Over 40s Global Cup.

The 266-run unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership between Hasan and Amjad propelled Pakistan to amass a mammoth total of 382 for three in the allotted 45 overs after captain Misbah-ul-Haq opted to bat.

Pakistan Openers Kashif Siddiqui (66 off 59 balls) and Junaid Khalil Nainitalwala (24 off 38 balls) laid the solid foundation with a first-wicket stand of 75 runs, which lasted in the 12th over.

Medium-pacer Khim Bahadur Thapa bagged two wickets in quick succession to reduce the hosts to 106/3 in the 18th over but then the duo of Hasan and Amjad hammered the Nepal bowlers all over the park amid their marathon partnership.

Hasan, the youngest-ever Test cricketer, remained undefeated on 154 off 94 balls with the help of seven sixes and 16 boundaries while Amjad’s unbeaten 108 off 72 balls, hitting three sixes and 12 boundaries.

Chasing a daunting total of 383, Nepal’s batting lineup flopped and could only raise 134 before getting bundled out in the 37th over.

Former Test fast bowler Muhammad Sami (2-27), left-arm spinner Abdul Qadir (2-14), leg-spinner Kashif Siddiqui (2-21) and off-spinner Haris Ayaz (2-29) shared the bowling honours for Pakistan while Hassan Raza was adjudged the Player of the Match.

In another Over 40s Global Cup fixture, dominant West Indies thrashed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 108 runs at the NBP Sports Complex while the matches between Hong Kong and USA at the Karachi Gymkhana and the one between Australia and Canada were abandoned due to rain.

Hosts Pakistan got off to a triumphant start to their Over 40s Global Cup campaign with a thrilling one-wicket victory over the United States of America (USA) on Tuesday.

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