Mohammad Hafeez’s gusty half century and Aamer Yamin’s cameo took Pakistan Champions to 160-9.Put into bat first, Pakistan Champions posted 160-9 in their allocated 20 overs, thanks to Mohammad Hafeez’s anchoring 54 off 34 balls. The right-handed batter Mohammad Hafeez rolled back the clock with his knock, showcasing elegant shots all around the ground.
Pakistan Champions kicked off the second season of the World Championship of Legends with a thrilling win over England Champions on Friday, July 18. Led by captain Mohammad Hafeez’s fifty and disciplined bowling from the bowlers, the Pakistan side defeated the English team by five runs.
Mohammad Hafeez scored 54 and Aamer Yamin slammed 27 not out off 13 while other Pakistan batters failed to impress. Liam Plunkett and Chris Tremlett were the pick of the bowlers for England with two wickets each. In the chase, Phil Mustard (58) and Ian Bell (51 not out) played noticeable knocks but failed to win the game for England.
Pitch Report and Toss
Pitch Report : The pitch in Edgbaston, Birmingham offers a balanced pitch, providing assistance to spinners and pacers. However, under lights, batting first could be a big advantage for the teams. The weather is likely to remain clear, and hence, the captain winning the toss is likely to command the opposition for bowling first at this historic venue.
Toss : England Champions skipper Eoin Morgon won the toss and opts to bowl with experienced players like Alastair Cook, Ian Bell in the Playing XI. Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez batting first had stalwarts like Shoaib Malik, Wahab Riaz in the Playing XI.
Mohammad Hafeez’s solid half century
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Pakistan Champions got off to a shaky start, losing early wickets to the disciplined England bowling attack. However, veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez stood firm and delivered a captain’s knock under pressure. Mohammad Hafeez ‘s 54 off 34 balls, laced with crisp boundaries and composed strokeplay, anchored the innings just when it was teetering.
After making a fine start, Pakistan lost both the openers – Kamran Akmal and Sharjeel Khan – in consecutive overs in the fourth and the fifth. While Mohammad Hafeez sold his partner, Umar Amin down the river in a big mix-up, the skippe Mohammad Hafeez held his cool and steadied the ship.
Mohammad Hafeez went on to slam 54 from 34 balls, laced with eight fours. However, when the Men in Green needed a big push in the death overs, Mohammad Hafeez was caught and bowled by Liam Plunkett. However, Aamer Yamin and Sohail Tanvir provided a strong end.
Lower down the order, Aamer Yamin played a crucial late cameo, smashing 27 not out off just 13 balls, injecting momentum in the dying overs.Aamer’s 13-ball 27, laced with a 22-run final over, was the reason Pakistan reached 160/9 at the end of the first innings.
Sohail Tanvir (17 off 11) also contributed valuable runs, helping Pakistan climb to a defendable total of 160/9 in 20 overs. England’s bowling was well-rounded, with wickets shared among Chris Tremlett and Liam Plunkett. However, they failed to contain the Pakistani surge in the final five overs, which eventually proved costly.
Phil Mustard and Ian Bell’s half centuries in vain
In response, England Champions looked well in control for large parts of the chase. Openers Phil Mustard and Ian Bell were the bedrock of their innings, with Mustard scoring 58 (51 balls) and Bell staying unbeaten on a classy 51 off 35 deliveries.
In reply, England were hardly in the chase with Phil Mustard and Alastair Cook not going off the blocks quickly. Cook made a scratchy 15-ball seven, while Mustard held one end up. James Vince also departed pretty early, leaving England in a hole. While Mustard carried on and made 58 from 51, he was dismissed in the 16th over.
Despite keeping wickets in hand, England’s chase lacked the necessary acceleration in the middle overs. The Pakistani bowlers executed their plans superbly, especially Rumman Raees, who returned with outstanding figures of 1/14 in 4 overs, including the prized scalp of Alastair Cook early in the innings.
Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan infused the much-needed momentum and put 48 for the fourth wicket. They came in the chase and needed 30 from 12 balls. However, the Three Lions could get only 24 and went on to lose the match by five runs. With 11 runs required off the final over, experienced pacer Sohail Khan kept his cool and defended the target, allowing just 5 runs and handing Pakistan Champions a thrilling 5-run victory.
Presentations and Road Ahead
The losing England Legends skipper Eoin Morgan said : The bowlers did a good job overall, using the extra bit of pace and consistent bounce on offer. Adds that the wicket played well, and the pacers made the most of the conditions. Mentions that Ryan Sidebottom was a bit under the weather, which resulted in James Vince bowling the final over.
Feels that they let themselves down with the bat and could not get going early enough in the chase. Believes it is still early days in the tournament and hopes this result puts them in good stead moving forward. Jokingly says that a couple of players have already hit the ice bath as part of recovery for Saturday’s game and hopes that a good night’s sleep will serve them well.
The winning Pakistan Legends skipper and Player of the Match for his brilliant knock of 54 off 34 said : He reflects that it was hard work as the situation wasn’t great for them earlier. Feels fantastic with the way they fought and the way they summed up the situation.
Says there was something for the seamers, as there was a bit of spongy bounce. Appreciates Rumman Raees for doing well with the ball. On him not taking the field in the second innings, he informs that he had a bit of back spasm, so he decided to stay out. Also says that Shoaib Malik did a great job as a leader in his absence. Ends by mentioning that the bowlers replied nicely to the challenges.
England Champions won the toss and put Pakistan in to bat. It was a shaky start for them despite the decent batting conditions, which offered some seam and bounce. They slipped to 33/2 in the Powerplay, losing both openers early. England kept the pressure on and further reduced them to 60/4 by the halfway mark. Mohammad Hafeez anchored the innings with a stylish fifty, but wickets kept tumbling at the other end. The impact player couldn’t do much either.
Late cameos from Sohail Tanvir and Aamer Yamin gave the innings a much-needed propulsion and helped push the total to 160, which looked a bridge too far at one point. Every England bowler chipped in with at least one wicket, while Chris Tremlett and Liam Plunkett bagged two each.
England were after a brisk start in the chase, and Phil Mustard delivered with a few crisp strokes. The ball was moving around early doors, and Pakistan’s seamers made good use of it. Alastair Cook struggled to settle in and eventually fell to a beauty from Rumman Raees. Still, the hosts edged ahead in the Powerplay, finishing at 41/1, comfortably ahead of Pakistan’s 33/2 at the same point.
James Vince, too, departed early, and with two experienced heads already gone, England slipped into a tricky spot. Boundaries dried up and the required rate kept creeping up. Phil Mustard and Ian Bell then steadied things with a composed partnership, keeping hopes alive. But the scoring didn’t get that required surge, and just as England looked poised to push ahead, Sohail Tanvir struck, removing Mustard for 58.
However, Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan kept the flame of their hopes ignited and took the game to the wire with the former notching a stylish fifty. And with 16 needed off the last over, it was still a cliffhanger, but due to Sohail Khan’s pinpoint bowling, Pakistan managed to get through the line. And not to forget the way Rumman Raees bowled earlier, conceding just 14 runs off his 4 overs with a crucial wicket of Alastair Cook.
What a sensational bowling display from Sohail Khan! After conceding a boundary on the first delivery of the last over, he just conceded five singles and a wide, constantly firing those yorkers. Pakistan Legends have beaten England Legends by 5 runs, but at one stage, Pakistan did feel the heat when Ian Bell switched the gears. A tough result for England, especially after coming this close to a win. A game of razor-thin margins, they say. Quite truly said.
Right. Pakistan Legends take two crucial points and begin their campaign on a positive note, while for England Legends, it was the classic case of so close, yet so far. That wraps up the curtain raiser of WCL Season 2, and the stage is now set for a blockbuster weekend.
A high-octane double-header awaits on Saturday, 19th July, starting at 5 pm IST . First up, the West Indies Legends go head-to-head with the South Africa Legends in the afternoon clash. And come evening, it’s time for cricket’s fiercest rivalry. England Legends will be back in action and will take on Australia Legends in the iconic white-ball Ashes battle. Pakistan Legends meanwhile will clash with arch rival India Legends on 20th July 2025.
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