RAWALPINDI, Nov 7: Even inclusion of several Pakistan cricket stars failed to produce a positive outcome as the touring British Army XI lost the Twenty20 fixture against a PCB XI at the Pindi Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday.

Imran Nazir, Azhar Ali and Shoaib Malik were included in a bid to strengthen the team which was renamed as the British XI.

After winning the toss, the British invited the PCB XI to make use of the pitch. The decision seemed justified when the host team lost Imran Farhat, who was bowled by Malik for nine.

But despite that early loss, PCB XI managed to reach a healthy 165-6. Pakistan Under-19 captain Babar Azam led the way by striking five boundaries and three sixes in scoring unbeaten 62. Faisal Iqbal (27) and Asad Shafiq (24) also weighed in with useful contributions.

Visiting captain Jacques Prinsloo was easily the best of the bowlers with excellent figures of three wickets for 18 runs in his quota of four overs.

The British XI’s reply got to disastrous start when Imran Nazir fell leg-before-wicket to Yasir Arafat for just one run. Russell Emmanuel and Azhar Ali then added 41 before Emmanuel was stumped by Sarfraz Ahmed off part-time spinner Ahmed Shehzad for 26.

Azhar was the top-scorer with 39 but his effort proved futile as British XI were all out for 120 in the final over of the match. Test paceman Aizaz Cheema captured three wickets for only six runs in his four-over spell. Ahmed Shehzad and Asad Shafiq, who seldom bowls in any form of the game, shared four wickets between them.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf, who was present at this match, said that the brief tour by British Army cricket team was a ray of hope for future international events in the country.

“I am thankful to the British Defence Ministry including the British High Commission in Pakistan since they have helped us in hosting this event besides sending a positive message that Pakistan is a safe cricketing nation,” Zaka said.

 Scoreboard PCB XI: Imran Farhat b Malik    9 Ahmed Shehzad lbw b Prinsloo    16 Asad Shafiq lbw b Kyungungu    24 Faisal Iqbal c Prinsloo b Boynton    27 Babar Azam not out    62 Sarfraz Ahmed c Malik b Prinsloo    6 Yasir Arafat lbw b Prinsloo    0 Fahad Iqbal not out    14

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-5)    7 TOTAL (for six wkts, 20 overs)    165 FALL OF WKTS: 1-13, 2-50, 3-50, 4-94, 5-112, 6-113. DID NOT BAT: Ehsan Adil, Umar Gul, Aizaz Cheema. BOWLING: Varley 4-0-50-0 (2w); Shoaib Malik 4-0-34-1 (1w); Prinsloo 4-0-18-3 (1w); Kyungungu 4-0-22-1 (1w); Azhar Ali 3-0-30-0; Boynton 1-0-9-1.

BRITISH XI: Imran Nazir lbw b Yasir    1 R.J. Emmanuel st Sarfraz b Ahmed    26 Azhar Ali c Imran b Aizaz    39 Shoaib Malik lbw b Ahmed    17 S.D. Govender b Asad    5 B.R. Varley run out    12 Rauwarda c Yasir b Aizaz    3 J.D. Boynton not out    5 R Dearden lbw b Aizaz    0 J. Prinsloo b Yasir    4 C.B. Kyungungu lbw b Asad    0

EXTRAS (LB-5, W-3)    8 TOTAL (all out, 19.2 overs)    120 FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-42, 3-66, 4-78, 5-106, 6-106, 7-111, 8-112, 9-118. BOWLING: Aizaz Cheema 4-0-6-3; Yasir Arafat 4-1-16-2 (1w); Ehsan Adil 2-0-16-0 (1w); Umar Gul 1-0-8-0; Imran Farhat 3-0-21-0; Ahmed Shehzad 3-0-23-2; Asad Shafiq 2.2-0-25-2 (1w). RESULT: PCB XI won by 45 runs. UMPIRES: Riazuddin and Qaiser Waheed.