World news story

The British High Commission hosts the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs for friendly cricket match

The British High Commission team won the match by six wickets and chased the total target of 150 runs in 29th over out of the total 30 overs.

Cricket Match Group picture

The British High Commission cricket team invited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan to a friendly cricket match in Islamabad today. The UK team featured a number of British diplomats including British High Commissioner Philip Barton CMG OBE.

The British High Commission team won the match by six wickets and chased the total target of 150 runs in 29th over out of the total 30 overs. Mr Alistair Goodwill was named Man of the Match based on his impressive all round performance. He scored 31 runs and took two wickets.

Other standout performances include 21 runs and five wickets by Syed Nasir Abbas, 25 runs and one wicket by Imran Butt and three wickets by Asim Khan from the British High Commission’s team. From Ministry of Foreign Affairs Adnan Akbar scored 30 runs and took two wickets whereas Sajjad scored 24 runs.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the British High Commissioner congratulated the winning side and said:

Sport connects both our countries. Cricket runs in the blood of the UK and Pakistan. While England is the home of cricket, Pakistan has one of the best cricketing teams in the world and undoubtedly the most committed supporters.

I congratulate the winning side for their outstanding performance today. I am very glad that the British High Commission had the opportunity to host today’s exciting contest against our diplomatic colleagues in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I am pleased that both sides have taken time out today to come together, away from our usual business, to highlight the sporting links between our two countries. Further friendly contests can only improve the relationships between the British High Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and between the UK and Pakistan.


Contact:

Press Attaché, British High Commission, Islamabad; tel. 0300 500 5306

Notes to Editors:

Photographs from the cricket match are available on British High Commission’s Flickr Gallery.

Published 16 January 2016