Day two of the IMC Over-40s T20 World Cup produced a mix of commanding bowling displays and headline-grabbing batting, with Pakistan preserving its unbeaten start and the UAE claiming the tournament’s first century.
At the National Bank Stadium Karachi, Pakistan set a challenging 192 for 4 after choosing to bat, with vice-captain Fawad Alam striking a brisk 56 off 28 balls and Tariq Mahmood adding a quickfire 46 from 27. Hong Kong could only manage 135 for 6 in reply as medium-pacer Mohammad Suleman returned figures of 3 for 35 and spinner Zulfiqar Babar chipped in with 2 for 16. Fawad Alam earned Player of the Match honours as Pakistan maintained momentum in the Over-40s T20 competition.
At Southend Club the UAE chased down West Indies’ 139 for 5 thanks to a historic innings from Malik Qamar Abbas. His unbeaten 100 off 57 balls, featuring 11 fours and five sixes, made him the first centurion of this Over-40s T20 World Cup and powered the UAE to a five-wicket victory.
The Karachi Gymkhana pitch produced another close finish as Rest of the Gulf chased 108 after Zimbabwe posted 107 for 9. The Gulf side wrapped up the target with three overs to spare, securing a four-wicket win.
At the National Stadium, Sri Lanka posted 173 for 8 but the USA mounted a composed reply and reached the target with five wickets in hand. Suneth Sampath and Anwar Ahmad both scored impressive half centuries to steer the American side to victory.
South Africa delivered the day’s most dominant performance at Karachi Gymkhana, bowling out Canada for just 64 before chasing the total without loss. Nathaniel Howard ran through the Canadian batting line-up with a five-wicket haul and was named Player of the Match for his match-winning spell.
Back at Southend Club, Australia posted 151 for 7 and then bowled out the Rest of the World Team for 108, sealing a 43-run win to round off an eventful day. The second day of play underlined the balance between powerful hitting and incisive bowling across the IMC Over-40s T20 tournament.
