Pakistan Champions captain Mohammad Hafeez led form the front to guide his side to a stunning 5-run win over hosts England Champions in the opening match of the World Championship of Legends 2025 at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Friday, July 18.
After winning the toss, England skipper Eoin Morgan elected to bowl first. It was a decision that initially paid off as Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals. None of the top three Pakistani batters managed to cross 20, leaving the team in early trouble.
But then Hafeez steadied the ship with 54 off 34 balls, anchoring the innings and pushing the total forward. With the support from Aamer Yamin, who remained unbeaten on 27 adding valuable runs at the death to Pakistan posted 160/9 in 20 overs. Chris Tremlett and Liam Plunkett picked up two wickets apiece for England.
Chasing the target of 161 runs, England got off to a good start with opener Phil Mustard scoring half ton but his 58 came off off 51 balls. Ian Bell followed up with another half ton 50 off 35 deliveries to keep their hopes alive. However, the asking rate crept up in the final overs. Despite Eoin Morgan remaining unbeaten on 16, England fell short, finishing at 155/3 after 20 overs--just five runs apart.
Pakistan will now face India Champions on July 20, while England take on Australia Champions on July 19.
Meanwhile, West Indies Champions grabbed headlines off the field by unveiling their stunning maroon jersey embedded with real gold. Designed by Dubai luxury brand Lorenze in collaboration with Channel 2 Group, the jersey is said to be the most expensive in cricket history.
England Champions Vs Pakistan Champions Playing XIs:
Pakistan Champions: Mohammad Hafeez (c), Kamran Akmal (wk), Shoaib Malik, Sharjeel Khan, Asif Ali, Umar Amin, Aamer Yamin, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Rumman Raees
England Champions: James Vince, Sir Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan (c), Chris Tremlett, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Phil Mustard (wk), Tim Ambrose, Liam Plunkett, Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Meaker
Impact Subs:
Pakistan Champions: Shahid Afridi, Imad Wasim, Sohaib Maqsood, Fawad Alam. Sarfaraz Ahmed
England Champions: Moeen Ali, Ravi Bopara, Samit Patel, Ajmal Shahzad, Usman Afzaal.
