Pakistan Army cricket team XI defeated UK Army cricket team by 9 wickets on Sunday in the first match of the three T20 matches series at Rawalpindi Club Cricket Ground.
Attired in Green kit, the Pakistan Army cricket team totally outclassed their rivals. The UK Army were all out in 20th over after scoring 85 runs. Only two players could managed to reach to double figure score. Pakistani bowlers and fielders displayed a highly professional quality cricket. Nasir, Shoaib and Shafiqur Rehman grabbed two wickets apiece, while Khadim took one wicket. Pakistani batsmen achieved the target in 11th over.
Earlier, UK Army team won the toss and elected to bat. In first six overs, they scored only 16 scores and lost three wickets. Score just crawled up after the first over. By end of 7th over, the UK Army cricket team had scored 23 runs.
Pakistan Army spinner Nasir made a major dent by claiming two wickets in first six overs of the UK innings. At the half stage of their innings UK Army team were 35 for four wickets. Pakistan army's fielding too was superb. Major Babar Nawaz captain of Pakistan Army XI did a marvellous 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 worthwhile partnership. Their 50 runs came in the 15th over. By the time British players reached 57 runs, they had lost 7 wickets. Their 9th wicket went down in the last over when Dearden was run out after scoring 23. He was also the leading scorer from his team.
Chasing the modest target Pakistani openers started with confidence. Major Babar Nawaz and Naik Mir Azam Khan opened innings for the Pakistan. First six of the match came in the very first over of the Pakistani innings, when Naik Mir Azam threw the ball outside the boundary line. The openers scored 15 runs in the first two overs. In the third over 4 boundaries by Pakistani batsmen made the job easy and scored raced to 34 without any loss. Naik Mir Azam Khan played an aggressive innings and hit all around to the thunderous applause of the audience.
A large number of people from all walks of life, a representative from the British Embassy and other cricket lovers watched the match. The match played on a fine sunny day, was also a main attraction in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Lieutenant General Naweed Zaman, Military Secretary, who was the chief guest on the occasion, awarded the Man of the Match award to Naik Mir Azam for his brilliant 40 runs.