World Championship of Legends Final: South Africa Outplays Pakistan by 9 Wickets
In a dramatic finale to the World Championship of Legends, South Africa clinched a dominant win over Pakistan, triumphing by nine wickets in the final held at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Saturday evening.
The high-profile clash was broadcast live on Sports Star and drew a large crowd of fans eager to watch their favorite cricket icons in action once again.
AB de Villiers: The Game-Changer
What Pakistani supporters feared most became reality—AB de Villiers, famously known as “Mr. 360,” made Pakistan’s competitive total look modest through an extraordinary batting performance.
Pakistan had defeated South Africa by 31 runs during the group stage, and many experts pointed out that de Villiers' absence was a major factor in that match. In the final, however, he returned and erased all doubts.
Pakistan’s Batting: A Mixed Performance
| Player | Runs | Balls Faced | Fours | Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoaib Malik | 20 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Sharjeel Khan | 76 | 44 | 9 | 4 |
| Umar Amin | 36* | 19 | 4 | 2 |
| Asif Ali | 28 | 15 | 2 | 2 |
Mohammad Hafeez, leading the team, won the toss and opted to set a target by batting first. Pakistan’s top order managed to set a total of 195 runs in their 20 overs, which seemed competitive on paper.
Sharjeel Khan impressed with a rapid 76 runs from just 44 deliveries. In the later stages, Umar Amin and Asif Ali pushed the scoring rate up, while Shoaib Malik’s slow innings resulted in an unexpected slowdown during the middle overs.
South Africa’s Chase: Ruthless and Efficient
South Africa responded with a brilliant batting display. AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla opened the innings and compiled a 72-run partnership inside six overs. Amla contributed 18 runs in a steady role.
de Villiers continued his rampage, reaching his half-century by smashing a six off the very first delivery bowled by Wahab Riaz. A controversial moment followed when de Villiers was given not out after a review showed the ball bounced before being caught.
He reached his century in just 47 balls, ending his innings with a series of explosive boundaries.
Key Partnerships
| Batting Pair | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| de Villiers & Amla | 72 | 36 |
| de Villiers & Duminy | 124* | 62 |
After Amla got out, JP Duminy joined forces with de Villiers, keeping the runs flowing at a steady rate. Duminy hit the winning six off Rumman Raees in the 17th over, completing both his fifty and sealing the title for South Africa.
Tournament Highlights: Dominance of de Villiers
- Matches Played: 6
- Centuries: 3
- Fifties: 1
- Total Runs: 429
- Strike Rate: 222
- Player of the Final & Tournament
- Named Player of the Match 4 Times
Top Run Scorers
| Player | Country | Runs | Innings | 50s/100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB de Villiers | South Africa | 429 | 6 | 1/3 |
| JJ Smuts | South Africa | 186 | 5 | 2/0 |
| Sharjeel Khan | Pakistan | 160 | 5 | 1/0 |
| Kamran Akmal | Pakistan | 100+ | 5 | 0/1 |
Leading Wicket Takers
| Bowler | Team | Wickets | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Siddle | Australia | 11 | 4/22 |
| Wayne Parnell | South Africa | 11 | 3/18 |
| Saeed Ajmal | Pakistan | took 7 wickets in 2 matches | including a best-of-6 for 14 vs. Aus. |
Controversy: India’s Refusal to Compete
India’s decision to skip both the group-stage and semifinal matches against Pakistan sparked debate. Critics argued that India should have been penalized with zero points instead of retaining them, which could have allowed England to advance.
As a result, Pakistan reached the final without contesting a semifinal—an anti-climactic situation for what was otherwise an exciting tournament.
Final Thoughts
South Africa earned the World Championship of Legends crown convincingly, with de Villiers steering the team’s performance in every department throughout the match. Although Pakistan showed moments of brilliance, the final exposed their lack of consistency when it mattered most.
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