MCC beat Lahore Qalandars by four wickets

Lahore: Marylebone Cricket Club started off their tour of Lahore with a four-wicket win over Lahore Qalandars in a 20-over match at Gaddafi Stadium.

Ravi Bopara orchestrated the win for the visitors with a 37-ball 42 – studded with two fours and a six – as MCC chased down a 136-run target with four balls spare. He was supported by Samit Patel, who made 31 runs from 25 balls and struck two sixes and a four.

MCC captain Kumar Sangakkara, batting at number three, scored 25 off 27, hitting three fours.

Mohammad Faizan returned two for 18 in 2.2 overs and was the pick of the bowlers for Lahore Qalandars.

Earlier, Fakhar Zaman and Sohail Akhtar, Lahore Qalandars captain, made 45 and 40 not out respectively as MCC elected to field after winning the toss.

Fakhar smashed five fours and a six in his 36-ball stay at the crease, while Sohail’s 28-ball stay saw him hit two sixes and a four.

MCC’s Roelof van der Merwe picked two wickets for 17 runs.

For his match-winning knock, Ravi Bopara was named man-of-the-match.

MCC will now face Pakistan Shaheens in a 50-over match at Aitchison College on Sunday, 16 February.

Scores in brief

Lahore Qalandars 135-5, 20 overs (Fakhar Zaman 45, Sohail Akhtar 40; Roelof van der Merwe 2-17)

Marylebone Cricket Club 136-6, 19.2 overs (Ravi Bopara 42, Samit Patel 31, Kumar Sangakkara 25; Mohammad Faizan 2-18)