Pakistan beat Oman by 18 runs in the Plate final of the Hong Kong International Sixes on Sunday. Captain Abbas Afridi scored 73 off 16 balls and was named Player of the Match.
Oman won the toss at Mission Road Ground in Mong Kok and put Pakistan in. Pakistan made 154 for 4 in their six overs. Afridi’s innings came at a strike rate of 456.25, and Abdul Samad added 32 off seven balls. Muzahir Raza took two wickets for 46 in his two overs for Oman.
Oman went after the target from the start. Usman Ali and Zohaib Amanat took them to 99 without loss after four overs, scoring 64 of those runs in the third and fourth overs.
The fifth over decided the match. Ahmed Daniyal ran out Oman captain Aamir Kaleem with its first ball and gave away six runs, leaving Oman 50 to get from the last over. Usman Ali and Amanat hit five sixes off Irfan Khan, but the over brought 31 runs. Oman finished on 136 for 4, and the scorecard records all four of their wickets with the total on 99.
Usman Ali was unbeaten on 67 off 17 balls with eight sixes and four fours. Amanat was not out on 61 off 18, also with eight sixes.
Pakistan came to Hong Kong as defending champions, having won the Cup for a record sixth time last year. This time they played in the Plate competition, beating hosts Hong Kong in the semi final before today's win over Oman.
