MCC triumphed in the final match of their tour of Pakistan, defeating Multan Sultans of the Pakistan Super League by 72 runs in a T20 fixture at Aitchison College, Lahore.
Half-centuries from Ravi Bopara and Kumar Sangakkara helped MCC to a total of 184 for 4 before Imran Qayyum starred with the ball in dismissing the Sultans for 112 inside 18 overs.
Sussex’s Bopara – who will play for the Sultans in the upcoming PSL – top-scored for MCC, hitting an unbeaten 70 from only 37 balls, a knock that included four maximums and seven fours.
His partnership with Sangakkara for the fourth wicket yielded 89 before the Sri Lankan fell to Mohammad Ilyas for 52 from 35 deliveries having hit three fours and three sixes in his innings.
Looking to bounce back from Monday's defeat, openers Arron Lilley (19) and Michael Burgess (18) had earlier made useful contributions before they were dismissed by Junaid Khan and Ali Shafiq respectively.
Seamer Shafiq was the pick of the bowlers for Multan, with figures of 2 for 21 from three overs.
In response, MCC bowled out their opponents inside 18 overs to finish the tour in style. Kent spinner Imran Qayyum was the chief destroyer, claiming incredible figures of 4 for 9 from his four overs.
Samit Patel took 2 for 2 from only four balls to end the innings swiftly, whilst Fred Klaassen (2 for 41) and Oliver Hannon-Dalby (1 for 3) were the other wicket-takers in the comfortable victory.
A third-wicket partnership of 58 between Khushdil Shah (45) and Zeeshan Ashraf (20) was the highlight of the Multan innings, but they were the only two batsmen to make double-figures as the middle order failed to get to grips with the spin of Qayyum, with the Sultans limping to a total of 112.
After a four-wicket victory over fellow PSL team Lahore Qalandars in their opening match, MCC end the tour with two victories and two defeats – a 50-over reverse against Pakistan Shaheens – the nation’s A team – and a nine-run loss against domestic T20 champions Northern.
Multan Sultans included former Pakistan star Shahid Afridi in their line-up, along with overseas players Wayne Madsen and Rilee Rossouw – familiar names from the domestic county circuit with Derbyshire and Hampshire respectively.
The Sultans are preparing for the 2020 edition of the PSL which starts later this week, and will be in Lahore once again in two days’ time as they begin their campaign against the Lahore Qalandars at the Gaddafi Stadium.
The scorecard from the match is available below.
Scorecard
For further information regarding MCC's tour of Pakistan, click below.
Tour of Pakistan