Cricket: Scuffles spoil charity match

A FUND-RAISING match at the National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace on Tuesday night, organised by Imran Khan, had to be abandoned after fighting broke out between rival Pakistan and Indian supporters.

The match was marred by a number of pitch invasions, prompting organisers to reduce the contest from 42 overs per side to 40 and, finally, 25.

Following the fourth invasion of the evening, scuffles started in the stands and the match was called off with Pakistan on 152 for 4 chasing India's 220 for 4 from 35 overs with 7.4 overs remaining.

The game raised about pounds 100,000 for Imran's hospital fund. The near-capacity crowd of 16,500 had been warned over the public address system that the match would be abandoned with the announcer insisting that the former Pakistan captain was desperate for order to return.

Kapil Dev scored 133 from 97 balls to guide India to a useful total and then took 3 for 27 in his first five overs. The Pakistanis were never really on course to make the 221 required although Javed Miandad, with an unbeaten 55, and Ramiz Raja, who scored 61, provided stubborn resistance.