Asif Ali shines as Pakistan beat India to reach the quarter-finals

HONG KONG: Pakistan on Friday inflicted a crushing six-wicket defeat on arch-rivals India to reach the quarter-finals of the Hong Kong Sixers.

Asif Ali of the Green Shirts scored his second fifty to take his team to the play-offs. He hit two boundaries and seven maximums before retiring.

Set to chase 120 in six overs, Pakistan opened the batting with Mohammad Akhlaq and Asif. Akhlaq started slowly but Asif fired from the other end to continue the chase.

Akhlaq also stepped up later and scored 40 off 12 balls. His knock included three boundaries and four sixes.

Captain Faheem Ashraf completed the chase with a cameo 22 off five balls.

Pakistan did not lose a single wicket in the two matches. They had earlier beaten UAE in their opening Pool C match.

Earlier, Pakistani bowlers conceded 119 runs and took two wickets. Bharat Chipley, 41, former Indian first-class cricketer, scored 53 off 16 balls. During his stay, he smoked six limits and four maximums.

Fahim took two wickets for 50 runs in his two overs.