PAKISTAN SEIZE INITIATIVE AT KARP GROUP/PC JEWELLER HONG KONG CRICKET SIXES
 Hong Kong, November 6, 2010 – Shoaib Malik and Pakistan grabbed the early high ground at the Karp Group/PC Jeweller Hong Kong Cricket Sixes after rain forced organisers into making huge changes to the format of the popular tournament at the Kowloon Cricket Club on Saturday.
Pakistan, led by Malik, swept to a 22-run victory over arch-rivals India to be well-placed in the preliminary round Sobers Group on the opening day of the US$150,000 tournament which saw more than three-quarters of the programme cancelled due to rain.
"It's always good to start with a win," said Malik. "For a first game, it was a good performance from the guys and I'm pretty pleased."
The poor weather resulted in a switch to four overs per innings – from five – and with organisers keeping their options open if the winners of each group meet in the Cup final on Sunday or if the top two teams move into a cross-over semi-finals.
"We cannot make that decision now until we know what the weather is like tomorrow," said Glyn Davies, tournament director. "We also had to change the matches to a four-over per innings format otherwise we won't have the time to finish the preliminary round."
All eight teams got a run on the first day with Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and South Africa joining Pakistan as winners.
Sri Lanka knocked off the 77 runs needed for victory over New Zealand thanks to openers Jeewantha Kulatunga and Indika de Saram being in superb touch with fluent knocks of 30 and 32 respectively to give the islanders a four-wicket win in the Sobers Group encounter.
In the Bradman Group, hosts Hong Kong hammered England in style. Chasing a modest total of 61, Hong Kong romped home to a five-wicket win with eight balls to spare. Last year's player of the tournament Irfan Ahmed led the blitz with a sparkling unbeaten 34.
In the other game, South Africa chased down Australia's 73-run total for the loss of three wickets, scrambling through for a single on the final ball of the match to earn the win.
"If the rain stays away, we will play the remaining eight pool games on Sunday, with the top two going into the Cup semi-finals. But if there are any more interruptions, we will have to go straight into the Cup final with the winners of each pool progressing," added Davies.
"This is the first time in the history of the tournament (which began in 1992) that we have been forced to do this. We are in virgin territory," added Davies.
Play will resume at 8.10 am tomorrow local time, with hosts Hong Kong taking on South Africa.
– ENDS –
|
