Pakistan, tournament favourites from the outset, lived up to the expectations when they claimed the 2001 Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong Cricket Sixes, defeating South Africa in the final at the Kowloon Cricket Club today.

With more than 4,000 people at the picturesque club, a uniquely Hong- Kong-style cricket ground perched amidst a sea of skyscrapers in the heart of the city, Pakistan outlasted a brave South Africa to pocket the winner's cheque of US$80,000 and hold the inaugural Butani Cup aloft.

Led by the inspirational Wasim Akram (23 from nine balls), a thoroughly worthy Player of the Tournament, who was ably supported by 20-year-old Imran Nazir (30 off 11 balls), Pakistan piled on 98/2 from their five overs before restricting the Springboks to 87/1 in the chase.

The South Africans opened with authority, Steve Elworthy and Loots Bosman cracking an unbroken stand of 53, before Bosman retired at 31. However, Akram strangled the life out of their innings with another miserly spell, his fifth of the tournament, allowing just 10 runs from his over as he steamed in off his longest run of the tournament.

With Abdur Razzaq following up with an over conceding 14 runs, relatively frugal in this style of cricket, the task became too much for the South Africans. And when Shoaib Malik dismissed Elworthy, caught, of course, by Akram, the vocal Pakistani fans were able to start their celebrations in earnest.

India, relegated to the second-tier Plate competition on run-rate after the group matches, earned some redemption with their thumping of Hong Kong in the Plate final. With impressive bowling performances from Mohammad Kaif (2/5) and Sunil Joshi (1/5), only some late heroics from Tim Smart (14* off eight balls) stretched Hong Kong's total to 53. However, this was never going to be enough to trouble the strong Indian line-up, and after Robin Singh crushed three sixes off one Stewart Brew over, and then a fourth off the first ball of the next over from Amar Najeeb, the Indians were home.

Akram, as with day one, was dominant in his team's performances on the second day, starting with the Cup semi-final defeat of Sri Lanka. He belted 36 runs off just 10 deliveries before retiring in Pakistan's innings of 107/1. Then, with Sri Lanka threatening at 35/0 after just two overs, the 35-year-old suffocated their innings with an over conceding four runs. Although his first wicketless spell of the tournament, any Sri Lankan hopes of claiming a maiden Sixes title were dashed once Akram's over was completed.

Although Rashid Latif was listed as the Pakistani captain in Hong Kong, Akram was undoubtedly the leader of this squad. While his performances were inspirational throughout the weekend, he also constantly encouraged, cajoled and berated his team-mates as they strove for the first-place cheque. From ensuring that fielders were in precisely the right position from the normally distant long-on position he manned this weekend, to calming players when tensions rose, Akram virtually willed his team to success.

South Africa qualified for the Cup final after comfortably defeating England in the semi-final. After a tight bowling performance restricted England to just 68/2, led by Steve Elworthy (35 retired from nine balls), the Springboks easily qualified.

Meanwhile, in the third-place play-offs, Sri Lanka thoroughly outplayed England. After being restricted to a modest 63/3, Pasan Wanasinghe gutted the English batting line-up with the tournament's best bowling spell of 3/3. From there, not even a late flourish from Dougie Brown (23* from 12 balls) could deny Sri Lanka a win.

In the Plate competition, UAE defeated Australia for the second time this weekend to secure third place (seventh overall). Led by Kaif Ghaury, who compiled 158 runs from five innings without being dismissed in the tournament, the Emirates eased past an Australian team whose best days, as clearly seen this weekend, were behind them.

© Hong Kong Cricket Association