KARACHI: Pakistan edged out England by three wickets in the seventh and final round of league matches to finish second in the team standings of the Over-50 World Cup Cricket Tournament in Sydney on Sunday.

Both Pakistan and England, having already qualified among the top four sides before their league encounter, will be in action against each other again as they clash in the semi-finals at the Rosedale Oval on Monday.

Hosts Australia, who topped the standings, will be pitted against fourth-placed New Zealand in Monday’s other semi-final at the Hurstville Oval.

With the last league match being of just academic interest, Pakistan opted to rest three of their prolific players, skipper Ghulam Ali, Sajid Ali and Shahid Anwar, and England also did likewise. Pakistan were captained by Ghaffar Kazmi.

England, batting first, mustered 137 in 44.5 overs with Mel Hussein (35), Neil Brathwaite (22) and Scott Scratton (19) being their leading run-getters.

Leg-spinner Zafar Ali was Pakistan’s star performer with figures of 4-17 in 6.5 overs, while Asif Hayat bowled a tight spell of eight overs to claim 2-25.

Despite being restricted to a low total, England fought back gallantly to take seven of the Pakistan wickets before the score crossed 100. But Sagheer Abbas, who was adjudged man-of-the-match, kept his cool in the trying conditions to finish with an unbeaten 35 off 62 balls to see his team over the line. He was ably assisted by Javed Hafeez who remained undefeated on a run-a-ball 21.

For England, Sean Cooper (2-15), Mel Hussein (2-19) and Mo Fayyaz (2-35) shared the bowling honours.

In the other fixtures played on Sunday, Australia — powered by Peter Solway’s 151 — hammered Sri Lanka by 97 runs, New Zealand outplayed South Africa by eight wickets and Wales overcame Canada by six wickets.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018