Both Pakistan and World XI will be looking for a series-clinching win when they meet in the third and final T20 international at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday.
Bouncing back from a 20-run loss in the series-opener, the visitors secured a thrilling last-over win in the second match on Wednesday to level the three-series 1-1.
Hashim Amla struck an unbeaten 72 off 55 balls while Thisara Perera plundered 47* off 19 balls as the hosts chased down 175 on the penultimate delivery of the innings.
Amla and Perera combined for an unbroken 69-run stand to swing in the game in visitors’ favour after they were reduced to 106-3 in 14 overs.
Amla hit five boundaries and two sixes in his knock while Perera’s vigil was studded with five sixes.
Tamim Iqbal and Faf du Plessis made 23 and 20 runs respectively.
Earlier, contributions from Babar Azam (45), Ahmed Shehzad (43) and Shoaib Malik (39) helped Pakistan post 174-6 after they elected to bat first.
Fakhar Zaman (21) and Shehzad delivered the hosts a promising 41-run stand before former was trapped leg-before by Samuel Badree.
Shehzad added another 59 runs with Azam to set the platform for a competitive total before being removed by spinner Imran Tahir. The right-hander’s 34-ball knock featured five boundaries and a six.
Badree struck again in the 17th over to remove Azam, who hit five fours in his 38-ball knock.
Malik fell to Ben Cuttings on the last ball of innings after hitting three sixes and a boundary in his 23-ball knock.
Squads:
Pakistan:
Sarfraz Ahmed (Captain), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Sohail Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali,Ahmed Shehzad, Shadab Khan, Fahim Ashraf , Umar Amin, Mohammad Amir, Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim, Usman Khan, Rumman Raees, Aamer Yamin,
World XI:
Faf du Plessis (Captain), David Miller, Paul Collingwood, Samuel Badree, George Bailey, Tim Paine, Ben Cutting, Tamim Iqbal, Darren Sammy, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir, Thisara Perera, Hashim Amla, Grant Elliott
