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November 8, 2026

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Pakistan beat Australia by one wicket to win the Over-40s Cricket World Cup

Faizan Altaf

Pakistan are the world champions of over-40s cricket. They beat Australia by one wicket in the final of the International Masters Cricket (IMC) Over-40s World Cup in Guyana on Saturday, 31 October 2026, chasing down 282 with a single ball to spare at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence.

Australia made 281 for six in their 45 overs, built around a century from Greg Hunt. Pakistan reached 282 for nine in 44.5 overs, with Adnan Akmal making 83 and Syed Fariduddin, who had already taken four wickets, finishing unbeaten on 24 to see his side home. Fariduddin was named Player of the Match.

The win also settled a score of sorts. Australia had beaten Pakistan in the final of the inaugural Over-40s T20 World Cup in Karachi in December 2025. This was a different format — 45 overs a side rather than 20 — but the two teams met again in a final, and this time Pakistan won it.

At a glance

What happened: Pakistan beat Australia by one wicket in the Cup Final of the IMC Over-40s World Cup at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, on Saturday, 31 October 2026. Australia made 281 for six in 45 overs; Pakistan made 282 for nine in 44.5 overs.

Why it matters: Pakistan won a world title in the 45-over masters format, beating the side that had defeated them in the Over-40s T20 World Cup final in Karachi in December 2025.

What happens next: The closing ceremony was held on the evening of 31 October, and teams were due to depart Guyana on 1 November. Guyana has said it wants to host the Over-40s T20 World Cup in 2027, with the government’s backing.

How Australia set Pakistan 282 to win

Australia batted first, and for much of their innings they looked in control. Greg Hunt anchored the innings with 103 off 102 balls, the only century of the final. His was a measured knock rather than a slog: just over a run a ball, holding one end together while partners came and went around him.

Pakistan’s bowling kept Australia from running away with the game, and the key figure was Syed Fariduddin. He took four wickets for 40 runs, the best bowling figures of the final, and his spell stopped Australia from turning a strong position into an unbeatable one. Australia still finished with a total that demanded a serious chase — 281 for six from their full 45 overs, at a run rate of a little over six an over.

That was a long way from the biggest total of the tournament — England had made 431 for three against South Africa in the third-place match the day before. But in a final, 282 was a demanding target, and the highest total Pakistan had been asked to chase in the tournament.

Pakistan’s chase went to the last over

Pakistan’s reply was built on Adnan Akmal’s 83 off 84 balls, the highest score for his side in the final. Akmal, the wicketkeeper-batter, kept the chase on track through the middle overs, scoring at close to a run a ball and making sure the required rate never climbed out of reach.

But the chase was never comfortable. Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals, and by the end they had used up nine of their eleven batting places. That is what makes the finish so remarkable: they won with only one wicket in hand, and with only one ball of the match remaining. In cricket, that is the narrowest margin there is in a completed chase — one wicket left, one ball left.

The man at the crease at the end was Fariduddin himself. Having already taken four for 40 with the ball, he made 24 not out and was there when the winning run was scored. It is rare for one player to shape a final so completely with both bat and ball, and it is why he was named Player of the Match.

How Pakistan reached the final

Pakistan’s campaign began on Saturday, 17 October, with a nine-wicket win over the Rest of the Caribbean at Enmore. They bowled their opponents out for just 71 runs: former Pakistan Test fast bowler Mohammad Khalil took two early wickets, Wasim Ali took three, and Farid-ud-Din Agha — the same bowler who starred in the final — took four. Pakistan reached 72 in 10.5 overs, with Imran Khan, a veteran cricketer in this side and not the former prime minister of the same name, making an unbeaten 48.

The next day brought Pakistan against India, at Providence. India won the toss and chose to bat, but Pakistan’s bowlers restricted them to 143 runs in 34.3 overs. Mohammad Khalil led the attack with three wickets for 23 runs, Mohammad Irfan took two for 25, and Fahad Jabbar took two for 12. Pakistan chased 144 in just 26.2 overs, finishing on 144 for three, with Adnan Akmal and Sheharyar Ghani each making 63.

Pakistan’s only defeat of the league stage came on Wednesday, 21 October, when England beat them by seven wickets at Everest. Pakistan recovered well. On 23 October they beat Scotland by five wickets at Enmore, bowling them out for just 73. The next day they beat New Zealand by five wickets at Eve Leary. And on Monday, 26 October, they beat the United States by 172 runs at Albion, with Sheharyar Ghani making 135.

The semi-final, on Wednesday, 28 October, was against England at Providence, and it was tense. England batted first and were held to 205 for nine in 45 overs, after collapsing to 104 for five. Ryan Canning’s unbeaten 53 off 61 balls got them to a defendable total. Pakistan’s bowling was shared around, with two wickets each for Waseem Ali, Mian Muhammad Irfan, Tariq Mahmood and Muhammad Khalil. Fahad Jabbar made 51 off 46 balls and Sheharyar Ghani 48, and Pakistan reached 206 for eight in 41 overs to win by two wickets.

How Australia reached the final

Australia opened the tournament by beating the hosts, the West Indies, by 88 runs at Providence on 17 October. They beat Namibia by nine wickets the next day, but then lost to Canada by 55 runs on 20 October. They recovered with a 47-run win over South Africa on 23 October, an eight-wicket win over Colombia the following day, and a five-wicket win over Wales on 27 October.

Their semi-final, on Thursday, 29 October, was against South Africa, the defending champions, at the Georgetown Cricket Club. South Africa made 234 for nine, with captain William Hantam making 71 and Brandon Reddy an even 50 off just 27 balls. Steve Paulsen took five for 50, then top-scored in the chase with 64 off 74 balls, as Australia reached 235 for six in 43.5 overs to win by four wickets.

That set up a final between the two teams that had contested the T20 final in Karachi eleven months earlier. Australia had won that one by seven wickets. In Guyana, the format was longer, the conditions were different, and the result went the other way.

The rest of the final day

The Cup Final was the last of four matches played on Saturday, 31 October, all starting at 9:30 in the morning, Guyana time. The other three decided the final placings, because in this tournament every team plays until the end and is ranked from first to fifteenth.

England finished third. In the third-place match on Friday, 30 October, at Bourda, England made 431 for three and beat South Africa by 278 runs. Their captain, Darren Stevens, made 231 not out, which the IMC says is the highest score in any age group at IMC level, passing Abdul Razzaq’s 195. South Africa, the defending champions of this 45-over tournament after beating New Zealand in the 2024 final, finished fourth.

The hosts, the West Indies, finished fifth. In the Shield Final at Bourda on 31 October, they beat India by 45 runs, making 309 for six to India’s 264, with Randy Thomas making 105. India finished sixth. Canada finished seventh, beating the United States by two wickets at Enmore, and New Zealand finished ninth, beating Scotland by 107 runs at Malteenoes in the Bowl Final.

What is masters cricket, and how did this tournament work?

Masters cricket is international cricket for players aged 40 and over. Many of the players are former internationals and first-class cricketers; others are leading club and national-league players who have kept playing into their forties and beyond. The International Masters Cricket organisation runs the world cups, and the 2026 event in Guyana was the second edition of the 45-over Over-40s World Cup. South Africa won the first, in 2024, beating New Zealand in the final.

The tournament ran from 17 to 31 October. Fifteen teams took part, including Australia, England, India, South Africa, New Zealand and the hosts, the West Indies; Sri Lanka withdrew before the start because of visa problems. At the opening ceremony on the evening of Friday, 16 October, at the Guyana National Stadium, President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the tournament’s patron, and IMC chairman Stirling Hamman cut the ribbon. President Ali pledged the government’s support for Guyana’s bid to host the Over-40s T20 World Cup in 2027.

Matches were 45 overs a side — longer than a Twenty20, shorter than a 50-over one-day international. Each team had a squad of up to sixteen players, could play twelve in a match and bat eleven. No bowler could bowl more than nine overs in a full innings. A win was worth two points, and teams level on points were separated by net run rate.

In all, 64 matches were played over fifteen days at ten grounds across Guyana, most of them starting at 9:30 in the morning. Seven of the ten grounds were in Georgetown and the Demerara coast, including Bourda, the historic former Test ground, and the Guyana National Stadium at Providence. Admission to all matches was free, and matches were streamed and scored live. The photograph with this article is an aerial view of the Guyana National Stadium taken in 2008, not a photograph of the final. One note on the records: the IMC’s schedule page still lists 59 matches, the total from before the knockout stage was expanded on 27 October. The tournament hub’s updated list has 64 matches, and this article uses that figure.

Why this win matters for Pakistan

For Pakistan, the win matters for three reasons. The first is the simplest: it is a world title. Pakistan’s senior men’s team has not won a global ICC trophy since the Champions Trophy in 2017, so any world title in Pakistan colours is worth celebrating, whatever the age group.

The second is the way it was won. Pakistan did not cruise through this tournament. They lost to England in the league, they were pushed hard in the semi-final, and they won the final with one wicket and one ball to spare.

The third is what it says about Pakistan’s depth in the veteran game. The squad mixed former Test players such as Mohammad Khalil and Taufeeq Umar with domestic and veterans players such as Sheharyar Ghani, Fahad Jabbar and Syed Fariduddin. The final was won not by one star but by contributions across the side: Ghani’s 135 against the United States, Jabbar’s fifty in the semi-final, Akmal’s 83 in the final, and Fariduddin’s four wickets and unbeaten 24 to finish the job.

What happens next

The closing ceremony was held at 7:00 in the evening on Saturday, 31 October, at the Police Officers’ Mess Annexe at Eve Leary, after the Cup Final. Teams were due to depart Guyana on Sunday, 1 November.

The next big date in this corner of the sport is Guyana’s bid to host the Over-40s T20 World Cup in 2027, which President Ali and his government have promised to support. If that bid succeeds, Pakistan will arrive as the team that beat Australia in a world final — though in a different format, and with the Australians sure to want revenge.

Frequently asked questions

Who won the 2026 IMC Over-40s World Cup?

Pakistan won it. They beat Australia by one wicket in the Cup Final at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, on Saturday, 31 October 2026. Australia made 281 for six in 45 overs and Pakistan made 282 for nine in 44.5 overs.

Who was Player of the Match in the final?

Syed Fariduddin of Pakistan. He took four wickets for 40 runs as Australia batted, then made 24 not out and was at the crease when Pakistan scored the winning run.

Who scored the most runs in the final?

Greg Hunt of Australia, with 103 off 102 balls. Pakistan’s top scorer was Adnan Akmal, with 83 off 84 balls.

How many teams played, and how long did the tournament last?

Fifteen teams played 64 matches over fifteen days, from 17 to 31 October 2026, at ten grounds across Guyana. Sri Lanka had been due to take part but withdrew before the start because of visa problems.

What is the difference between this tournament and the Over-40s T20 World Cup?

This was the 45-over Over-40s World Cup, the second edition of the longer-format event. The T20 version is a separate tournament played in the twenty-over format. Australia won the inaugural T20 edition in Karachi in December 2025, beating Pakistan by seven wickets in the final.

Where did the other teams finish?

England finished third after beating South Africa by 278 runs, South Africa were fourth, the hosts West Indies finished fifth after beating India by 45 runs, India were sixth, Canada seventh, the United States eighth, New Zealand ninth and Scotland tenth.

Conclusion

Pakistan’s win in Guyana was the kind of final that makes a tournament memorable. A century from Greg Hunt gave Australia a total of 281 that looked more than enough. Adnan Akmal’s 83 kept Pakistan in the hunt. And Syed Fariduddin, with four wickets and an unbeaten 24, finished the job with one wicket and one ball to spare.

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.

Sources

Faizan Altaf

Faizan Altaf is the founder and author of findivoza.com, a news blog covering world, Pakistan, business, technology, health and sport in plain English. He writes for general readers who want clear, trustworthy news without jargon. His work focuses on explaining what happened, why it matters, and what to watch next.

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