Agile Pakistan Army cricket team defeated UK army team in the first T20 match played at Rawalpindi club cricket ground by 9 wickets.
Attired in Green kit Pakistan army team totally outclassed their rivals. UK eleven were all out in 20th over after scoring 85 runs. Only two players could reach to double score. Pakistani bowlers and fielders displayed a highly professional quality cricket. Pakistani bowler Nasir, Shoaib and Shafiqur Rehman each got 2 wickets while Khadim got 1 wicket. Pakistani batsmen chased score in 11th over and won the match by 9 wickets.
UK army team won the toss and elected to bat. In first 6 over uk team could only make 16 scores at the loss of 3 wicket. Score just crawled up after the first over. By end of 7th over uk team had scored only 23 runs. Army spinner Nasir made a major dent by claiming 2 wickets in first 6 overs of the UK innings. At the half stage of their innings after 10th over UK team was 35 for 4 wickets. Pakistan army team displayed excellent exhibition of fielding and got 5th wicket when UK batsman was run out without scoring. Maj Babar Nawaz captain of Pakistani eleven did a marvelous job by rotating his bowlers and placing fielders at the right place which did not allow the British players to play their shots openly. UK players continued loosing their wickets at regular intervals and there was no worth while partnership. Uk team first 50 runs came in 15th over. By the time British players reached 57 runs they had lost 7 wickets. 9th wicket went down in the last over when Dearden was run out after scoring 23 and he was highest scorer from UK side. The whole British army team was all out a ball spare by scoring 85 runs.
A large number of people from all walks of life, representative from British embassy and other cricket loving nations enthusiastically watched the match.
It was first match of the three T20 match series between UK and Pak army teams. UK army team will also play a one day match. Match was played in a highly festive mood. Music played on the tunes of army band added flavor to the match.
Chasing an easy target, Pakistani openers started with confidence.
Maj Babar Nawaz and Mir Azam Khan opened innings for the Pakistan. 1st six of the match came in the very first over of the Pakistani innings when Naik Azam hit the ball outside the boundary line.
Pakistani openers scored 15 runs in the first 2 overs. In the third over 4 boundaries by Pakistani batsmen made the job easy and score raced to 34 without loosing a wicket.
Mir Azam Khan played an aggressive innings and hit all around to the thunderous applause of the spectators. Azam Khan who is also a wicket keeper for Pakistan army did very well while keeping the wickets as well. He also scored 40 runs while batting.