De Villiers' unbeaten blitz outclasses Pakistan in WCL final
South Africa clinched the WCL title in emphatic fashion on Saturday, comfortably chasing down Pakistan's 196-run target with nine wickets in hand, thanks largely to an explosive unbeaten century by AB de Villiers.
The South African captain lit up Edgbaston with an electrifying knock of 120* off just 51 balls, laced with 12 fours and 7 towering sixes. His innings completely overshadowed Pakistan's efforts and left no doubt about the outcome by the halfway mark of the chase.
PCB imposes 'blanket ban' on future participation in WCL
Chasing 196, South Africa lost Hashim Amla early, who departed after a 14-ball 18, but from then on it was the de Villiers show. The veteran batter took on Pakistan's pace and spin alike, accelerating effortlessly through the innings and reaching his hundred in just 45 balls.
Earlier, Pakistan posted 196/5 in their 20 overs after being asked to bat first. Opener Sharjeel Khan led the charge with a 76-run knock, smashing boundaries to put South Africa's bowlers under early pressure. He was well-supported by Umar Amin, who scored a brisk 36 off 19 deliveries.
In the death overs, Asif Ali added valuable runs, scoring 28 off 15 balls to push Pakistan to what looked like a competitive total. The Men in Green added 61 runs in the final five overs.
For South Africa, Wayne Parnell was the most successful bowler with 2 for 32, while Duanne Olivier and Hardus Viljoen chipped in with a wicket apiece.
But de Villiers' brutal onslaught rendered Pakistan's bowling attack ineffective and ensured South Africa sealed the WCL title with more than three overs to spare.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
17 hours ago
- Express Tribune
PCB disappointed over WCL's hypocrisy
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announces that it is issuing a blanket ban on future participation in the World Championship of Legends (WCL). The PCB, during its 79th BoG meeting held virtually under the chairmanship of Mohsin Naqvi reviewed with considerable disappointment WCL's appalling conduct of awarding points to a willfully forfeiting team, and the content of the press releases of the WCL announcing the cancellation of the scheduled India vs. Pakistan legends matches, which were tainted with hypocrisy and bias. The contents of the said press releases highlight a duality where the narrative of "peace through sport" is selectively applied and sporting events are held hostage to political expediency and narrow commercial interests. The PCB has always advocated for the separation of sports and politics. Our unwavering belief is that cricket, like other international sports, should solely serve as a platform for goodwill, healthy competition, and mutual respect. For a tournament involving legendary players to be dictated by sentiments that undermine this fundamental principle is not only regrettable but also deeply concerning for the future of independent sporting events. The WCL's apology for "hurting the sentiments", whilst being farcical, inadvertently acknowledges that the cancellation was not based on cricketing merit, but rather on succumbing to a specific nationalistic narrative. This bias, masquerading as sensitivity, sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community. In light of this unfortunate development, which underscores a clear and intolerable pattern of external influence and a disregard for the principles of sporting neutrality, the Pakistan Cricket Board is compelled to take a firm stance. The PCB can no longer condone participation in an event where the fundamental principles of fair play and unbiased administration are compromised by external pressures. The PCB remains committed to promoting cricket globally and fostering healthy sporting rivalries. However, we cannot allow our players to be part of events where the spirit of the game is overshadowed by skewed politics that undermines the very essence of sportsmanship and the gentleman's game.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
PCB slams WCL ‘hypocrisy', bans players from future events
Listen to article The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a blanket ban on all future participation in the World Championship of Legends (WCL), accusing the tournament organizers of hypocrisy and biased conduct. The decision came following the Board of Governors' (BoG) 79th meeting, held virtually on Sunday under the chairmanship of PCB head Mohsin Naqvi. In a strongly worded statement, the PCB expressed "considerable disappointment" over the WCL's decision to award points to a team that willfully forfeited a match, while also taking exception to what it called the 'hypocritical and biased' language in WCL press releases, particularly surrounding the cancellation of high-profile Pakistan vs India legends matches. Read More: Holder's last-ball heroics level series as West Indies stun Pakistan 'The contents of the said press releases highlight a duality where the narrative of 'peace through sport' is selectively applied,' the PCB stated. 'Sporting events are being held hostage to political expediency and narrow commercial interests.' It is noteworthy that on July 20, India Champions refused to play against Pakistan in the group stage match of the tournament, which led to the match's cancellation. The WCL management subsequently awarded shared points to both teams, a decision that eventually helped India qualify for the semi-final — only for them to again decline to play, allowing Pakistan to progress to the final. The governing body condemned the tournament's apparent disregard for the principle of sporting neutrality, calling the WCL's justification for the cancellation 'far removed from cricketing merit.' 'The WCL's apology for 'hurting sentiments', whilst being farcical, inadvertently acknowledges that the cancellation was not based on sporting grounds but rather on succumbing to a specific nationalistic narrative,' the statement read. 'This bias, masquerading as sensitivity, sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community.' Also Read: Dubai to host Pakistan-India showdown as Asia Cup 2025 venues announced Emphasizing its long-standing stance on keeping sports and politics separate, the PCB said it found it 'deeply concerning' that even an event featuring retired, legendary players was now being influenced by external pressures. 'Our unwavering belief is that cricket, like other international sports, should serve as a platform for goodwill, healthy competition, and mutual respect,' the board reiterated. 'For a tournament involving legendary players to be dictated by sentiments that undermine this fundamental principle is not only regrettable but deeply concerning.' In light of what it described as 'a clear and intolerable pattern of external influence' and 'a disregard for fair play,' the PCB said it could no longer allow its players to participate in the WCL or any future editions of the tournament. 'The PCB can no longer condone participation in an event where the fundamental principles of fair play and unbiased administration are compromised by external pressures,' the statement added. Read: Babar, others reach Florida for WI ODIs Despite its criticism of the WCL, the PCB reaffirmed its commitment to promoting cricket globally and fostering healthy rivalries. 'We remain committed to promoting cricket as a vehicle for unity and sportsmanship,' the statement concluded. 'However, we cannot allow our players to be part of events where the spirit of the game is overshadowed by skewed politics that undermine the gentleman's game.' The virtual BoG meeting was attended by Sumair Ahmed Syed, Salman Naseer, Zaheer Abbas, Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Sajjad Ali Khokhar, Zafarullah Jadgal, Tanveer Ahmed, Tariq Sarwar, Muhammad Ismail Qureshi, Anwaar Ahmad Khan, Adnan Malik, Usman Wahla (special invitee), and Mir Hassan Naqvi.
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
PCB imposes ‘blanket ban' on future participation in WCL
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has imposed a blanket ban on future participation of Pakistani players in the World Championship of Legends (WCL), citing political bias and discriminatory treatment during the recently concluded tournament. In an official statement, the PCB strongly criticized the organizers for barring Pakistani cricketers and allowing political considerations to influence the event's conduct, particularly highlighting the refusal of the Indian team to play its scheduled matches against Pakistan. Terming the WCL's apology for 'hurting sentiments' as 'farcical,' the PCB said it inadvertently confirmed that the decision to exclude Pakistani players was not based on cricketing merit but rather a concession to a specific nationalistic narrative. 'This bias, masquerading as sensitivity, sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community,' the PCB stated. The board further warned that politically influenced and biased decisions compromise the integrity and neutrality of international sports. It noted that participation in such an environment would be against the dignity of Pakistani players and could pose risks for future events. The issue was discussed in detail during a virtual meeting of the PCB's Board of Governors (BoG), attended by Sumair Ahmed Syed, Salman Naseer, Zaheer Abbas, Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Sajjad Ali Khokhar, Zafarullah Jadgal, Tanveer Ahmed, Tariq Sarwar, Muhammad Ismail Qureshi, Anwaar Ahmad Khan, Adnan Malik, Usman Wahla (special invitee), and Mir Hassan Naqvi (Additional Secretary). During the Championship of Legends, the Indian team played only one match and refused to face Pakistan in both of their group-stage fixtures. Despite this, Pakistani players were sidelined, prompting strong backlash from the PCB. Bilateral cricket between Pakistan and India has remained frozen since 2008. The only brief resumption came in 2012, when Pakistan toured India for an ODI series led by Shahid Afridi, resulting in a series win for Pakistan. The PCB reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the sanctity of the sport and pledged to raise its voice at all relevant forums against politically tainted decisions in international cricket.
