Pakistan continued their unbeaten run at the World Cricket Festival, edging past India by five runs to secure a place in the semi finals of the F2 Double Wicket tournament.
Batting first, Pakistan scored 56 for 4 in four overs. Shoaib Malik led the innings with a fiery 34 runs, while Imran Nazir added 16. In reply, India managed 51 for 4 in their allotted overs, falling just short of the target.
The win marked Pakistan’s third consecutive victory in the tournament. Earlier, Pakistan defeated the UAE after scoring 82 for 1 in four overs, powered by aggressive batting from Malik and Nazir, while the UAE lost all six wickets.
Pakistan also recorded a dominant win against Sri Lanka. The Lankan Lions scored 75 for 3 in 4 overs, but Pakistan chased the target comfortably, reaching 99 without loss. Malik starred again with an outstanding 56, supported by a crucial 30 from Nazir.
The World Cricket Festival centres on the F2 Double Wicket World Cup, a fast-paced, innovative cricket format featuring 10 international teams and 23 matches over four days.
The tournament includes an elite group of international players such as Shoaib Malik, Imran Tahir, Asif Ali, Hardus Viljoen, Isuru Udana, Jeevan Mendis, Khalid Shah, Joseph Burns, Samit Patel, Farhad Raza, Owais Shah, Stuart Binny, Ben Cutting, Irfan Pathan, Nangeyalia Kharote, Shakib Al Hasan, and Maroof Merchant.
These international stars are competing alongside emerging and established Saudi national players, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s growing presence in international cricket.