Blind Cricket World Cup
Pakistan begin campaign by thrashing Aussies

ISLAMABAD—All teams, including defending champions Pakistan, won by identical 10 wickets margin in the day’s three matches in the 3rd Cricket World Cup for the Blind here on Thursday.
Pakistan beat Australia at F-9 Park Ground while in the other two matches, England whipped Sri Lanka at PAF ground and West Indies thrashed New Zealand at Shalimar Ground—All triumphant teams winning by ten wickets each. Pakistan inflicted a 10-wicket defeat on Australia at F-9 ground. Pakistan won the toss and invited Aussies to bat on which Australia scored 189 all out off 35.2 overs setting a target of 190 runs for Pakistan to chase. Pakistan achieved the target in the 16th over without losing a wicket as the blind Aussie cricketers couldn’t produce the form their national team is showing in the ongoing Ashes series against England.
Amer Ishfaq and Muhammad Waqas took two wickets each for 43 and 56 runs respectively. P. Ravanarki scored 30 runs and Heaven 26 for Australia. The man of the match Amer Ishfaq scored 112 not out for the home side supported by unbeaten 67 of Tahir Ali. In the second match, England defeated Sri Lanka by 10 wickets at PAF ground. Sri Lanka batted first and scored 202 all out in 40 overs. Chandana Kumara and K. J. Ratne were the main scorers with 58 and 43 runs respectively. England successfully achieved the target without losing a wicket in the 26th over. Tim Gettridge remained unbeaten at 90 and was declared the man of the match.
The new entrant of the tournament West Indies also won its match by 10 wickets against New Zealand. Batting first, New Zealand scored 123 runs off 25 overs for 5 wickets. In reply, West Indies overtook the Kiwis total in the 14th over with all their wickets intact.
The chief guests of the matches Federal Minister Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi, Syed Mustafain Kazmi and Agha Shaukat Ali gave away the prizes to the players.—Agencies