In their second match at the Hong Kong International Sixes, Pakistan decisively defeated India to go to the competition’s quarterfinals.
For the second game in a row, Muhammad Akhlaq and Asif Ali were the batting heroes, helping to knock down the 120-run mark with six balls and every wicket remaining.
Akhlaq scored 40 off 12 balls with three fours and four sixes, while Asif hit three fours and seven sixes on his way to a 14-ball 55 before leaving owing to the rules. Following a 5-ball 22 that featured one four and three sixes, Pakistan’s skipper Faheem Ashraf battled to the very finish.
India had reached 119/2 in their allocated overs when Faheem won the toss and decided to ball. Robin Uthappa scored 31 runs, while Bharat Chipli led his team with 53.
With the victory against India, Pakistan, who had earlier in the day defeated the United Arab Emirates in their opening match, has advanced to the Hong Kong International Sixes quarterfinals as the top team in Group C.
In the opening match, Asif Ali, who leads the competition in strike-rate with an unbelievable 376, also hit a fifty and took two wickets with the ball to assist Pakistan defend 128 runs as the UAE fell 13 runs short of the mark.
