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Babar Azam leaps to pull a short ball.[/caption]
Lahore, Sep. 12 (EMN): Pakistan defeated Faf du Plessis' World XI by 20 runs in the inaugural Twenty20 of the Independence Cup at Gaddafi stadium in Lahore even as Babar Azam showed why he is considered the future of Pakistan batting, as his 52-ball 86 carried Pakistan to a comfortable win victory.
Pakistan, sent into bat by the World XI, hit 197-5 in the first Twenty20 as the nation celebrated the return of international cricket under massive security in Lahore on Tuesday.
It is only the second time Pakistan has hosted an international match since a 2009 terror attack on the Sri Lankan team bus, also in Lahore, reported The Nation, one of Pakistan’s leading newspapers.
One-drop batsman Babar Azam top-scored with a 52-ball 86 studded with 10 boundaries and two sixes, adding 122 for the second wicket with Ahmed Shehzad who made 39.
The World XI finished with 177 with Darren Sammy and skipper Faf du Plessis scoring 29 each. For Pakistan Sohail Khan, Shadab Khan and Rumman Raees took two wickets apiece.
World XI skipper Faf du Plessis, who sent Pakistan into bat, hailed the return of cricket to the South Asian nation.
"It's not about ourselves, great to see we can play a small part in bringing cricket back to Pakistan. There are no egos involved," said du Plessis.
The second and third matches are also in Lahore on Wednesday and Thursday.
The series, only the second international in Pakistan since 2009, is part of efforts to revive international cricket in the country.
Pakistan also hosted Zimbabwe in 2015.
Pakistan had been forced to play international matches on neutral venues in United Arab Emirates since a 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore, after which foreign teams had refused to tour due to security concerns.
Teams:
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Sohail Khan, Fahim Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Rumman Raees
World XI: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Ben Cutting, Grant Elliott, Tamim Iqbal, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Tim Paine, Thisara Perera, Imran Tahir, Darren Sammy