LONDON: Pakistan began their tour of England on a victorious note with an exciting six runs success over a multi-national Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) side at Lords on Sunday.
Pakistan, winning the toss and scoring 165 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs, restricted the all-star opposition to 159 for 5.

The MCC were always in for a sniff when Australian Aiden Blizzard and former West Indies captain Brian Lara put on 94 runs for the second wicket after Shoaib Akhtar removed opener John Simpson in the first over.

Lara, dropped by Fawad Alam at short mid wicket off Shahid Afridi when 15, showed glimpses of his regal class with a series of strokes all around the wicket. He made 37 off 31 balls with five fours in the first Twent20 match of his career before Pakistan’s comeback speedster Umar Gul yorked him to break up the threatening partnership and choke the scoring.

Former Australian player Ian Harvey made 18 and combining with the smashing Blizzard almost brought MCC home. Harvey was accounted for by Shoaib Akhtar while Mohammad Aamer eventually got through Blizzard’s defence, ensuring a Pakistani win. The Australian left hander cracked six fours and three sixes in his 56-ball 73 and fell in the final over with the score on 156, the remaining 10 runs proving too big of an ask for former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Harris and Afghanistan’s Muhammad Nabi.

MCC captain Sourav Ganguly went for two, bowled by Umar who finished with two for 35. Shoaib howver, had the best figures of two for 19 and Aamer finished with one for 23 for Pakistan.

Earlier,an unbeaten 51 from Umar Akmal drove Pakistan to a fighting total as they batted first on a sun-baked, easy paced pitch at the home of cricket.

The youngster struck three sixes and as many fours in his 30 ball knock and together with Abdul Razzaq whose equally breezy 20 not out off 11 balls shared an unbroken sixth wicket stand of 38 after Pakistan had lost half the side at 127.

The Pakistanis coming straight from Sri Lanka after the Asia cup were given a good start of 53 by openers Shahzaib Hasan (34) and Salman Butt (21) but the incoming batsmen did not contribute much with Kamran Akmal falling for 2, Fawad Alam (14) and Afirdi 14).

They were undone by former New Zealand all rounder Chris Harris who finished with the best figures of 3 for 26 from four overs. Muhammad Nabi and Zimbabwean Glen Querl, took one wicket each.

Pakistan opener Shahzaib ,who also figured in T20 World Cup in England last year, played a fine innings hitting six fours and a six off 19 balls before falling to first of three catches by Sri Lakan all rounder Chamida Vaas.

Salman Butt’s subdued 21 included a solitary four. But it was the partnership between Umar and Razzaq that put life into Pakistan’s total as they cut loose with some big hitting especially Umar who pillaged 15 runs off former Australian all-rounder Ian Harvey.