END OF OVER:20 | 13 Runs 1 Wkt | World: 177/7 (21 runs required, RR: 8.85)
- Daren Sammy29 (16b)
- Ben Cutting0 (0b)
- Hasan Ali4-0-44-0
- Rumman Raees3-0-37-2
10.45pm: That's it for tonight, a triumphant return home for Pakistan, and a feast for their fans at the Gaddafi. We'll bring you the second T20I tomorrow, and the third game on Friday. Do tune in for that. Until then, good night!
Sarfraz Ahmed: "It was a very important match, after Champions Trophy. No praise is too high for our players, especially Babar Azam, and the way Ahmed Shehzad played, and the way Shoaib Malik and Imad Wasim finished the innings. We've got some very good players, which is why the selection committee is giving them a lot of opportunities. Our fitness is getting better day after day, and the humidity today was a test of it, and we passed it."
Faf du Plessis: "It was a good game, I thought Pakistan played exceptionally well. I thought it was a 180 wicket, so maybe we gave away 20 runs too many. Our bowling was possibly one-dimensional. They had a lot of variety, spinners, left-arm, right-arm. It was a great occasion to play here, and as soon as we walked into the field, it was just a normal game. I needed to get a 50 or 60 for us to win. Quick turnaround, I don't think I've ever played two T20s in two days. Great to play in front of the Pakistani fans, hopefully next two games we can get a full house."
Babar Azam is the Player of the Match. "There was no pressure. It was just a slow wicket, so I thought I'll take my time and play my natural game. Once I got a partnership with Ahmed bhai, I just wanted to take it as far as I could."
There's a Giggly Boom Boom shot of the match award, and it's gone to Hashim Amla. Has there been a greater name for an award in the history of awards?
Talha Hameed: "STATS: Total of Four T20Is have been played in Pakistan, Pakistan have won all Four. Brilliant!"
10.20pm Pakistan's first home international in two years, and they've won it comfortably. World XI were chasing the game right through their innings, and maybe they didn't get their batting order right, but none of that really matters now, does it? Think about everyone in the stands right now, and just the fact that they were able to watch their own team, in the flesh, after so long. And today they've got to watch some excellent performances from their players, none better than a brilliant 86 from Lahore's very own Babar Azam. There was also some vintage late hitting from Shoaib Malik, some typically un-hittable slow left-arm swerve from Imad Wasim, ripping legbreaks and googlies from Shadab Khan, and a last over full of yorkers from Hasan Ali.
NLTC Perera run out 17 (11b 3x4 0x6) SR: 154.54
34 off the last over. Five sixes and a four. Can Sammy manage that?
END OF OVER:19 | 13 Runs | World: 164/6 (34 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 8.63, RRR: 34.00)
- Daren Sammy17 (11b)
- Thisara Perera16 (10b)
- Rumman Raees3-0-37-2
- Hasan Ali3-0-31-0
Rumman.
Ajay Kamath: "Why on earth is Cutting not...well.... cutting and pulling and lofting?"
END OF OVER:18 | 3 Runs | World: 151/6 (47 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.38, RRR: 23.50)
- Daren Sammy4 (5b)
- Thisara Perera16 (10b)
- Hasan Ali3-0-31-0
- Sohail Khan4-0-28-2
50 off the last three overs. Here's Hasan Ali.
END OF OVER:17 | 9 Runs 1 Wkt | World: 148/6 (50 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.70, RRR: 16.66)
- Daren Sammy2 (2b)
- Thisara Perera15 (7b)
- Sohail Khan4-0-28-2
- Rumman Raees2-0-24-2
Darren Sammy is in at No. 8. This is a seriously deep line-up, with Ben Cutting still to come, but their task - 53 off 21 - might be getting beyond them now.
GD Elliott c Imad Wasim b Sohail Khan 14 (8b 2x4 0x6) SR: 175.00
59 to get off the last four., Here's Sohail again.
Ravindran: "Well, I am surprised this question havent come up yet in the commentary. Why no Indian players in the World XI?" --- Sharda Ugra asks the same question here.