Federal Areas retain Pakistan Cup

By Alam Zeb Safi

May 07, 2018

KARACHI: Federal Areas retained the crown when they overwhelmed the 2016 edition winners Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by five wickets in the day-night final of Pakistan Cup National One-day Cricket Championship at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, on Sunday.

Agha Salman (60), Saad Nasim (51) and Raza Ali Dar (49) did not let Federal Areas feel the absence of their star batsman Sohaib Maqsood, who injured his shoulder during fielding. Federal Areas chased the 253-run target in 41 overs for the loss of five wickets.Earlier, skipper Mohammad Hafeez slammed 89 to catapult KP to 252 all out in 43.4 overs.

After being invited to bat first when Federal Areas skipper Kamran Akmal won the toss, KP had a solid start as Test openers Shan Masood (52) and Khurram Manzoor (32) scored 60 off 69 balls. Khurram got run out after hitting four fours from 35 balls.

Shan and Hafeez (89) tried to consolidate the innings but the partnership did not last long as right-armer Umaid Asif held Shan excellently off his own bowling in the 17th over to reduce KP to 103-2. Shan struck one six and six fours in his 49-ball fifty.

Left-handed Israrullah (26) and Hafeez put on 55 for the third wicket. Left-arm spinner Raza Hasan had Israr caught by Umaid, after the Peshawar-born batsman had smacked one six and two fours off 28 deliveries.

Umar Akmal fell for just one run to add to the misery of KP. Hafeez and Adil Amin (22) scored 56 for the fifth wicket before Adil got run out in the 37th over. Adil smacked one six and one four from 25 balls.

Hussain Talat removed Hammad Azam (1) and Hafeez. Hafeez hit nine fours and one six in his 86-ball knock. Rookie Hassan Khan remained not out on 18-ball 17 with one hit to the fence. Shinwari was the pick of the bowlers with 3-34 in eight overs. Hussain Talat got 2-37 in six overs.

Kamran Akmal (38) and Abid Ali (16) provided an electrifying start to their team. They scored 40 off 33 balls before left-arm pacer Zia-ul-Haq removed Abid, who hit three fours from 21 balls. Hafeez dismissed Kamran after the Test stumper had hit four sixes and two fours in his brisk 24-ball knock.

Federal Areas were provided a solid partnership by Raza (49) and Salman (60), who scored 69 for the third wicket. Left-arm spinner Hassan Khan broke the partnership when he sent Dar back after the left-hander had smacked seven fours from 53 deliveries.

Salman put on 79 for the fourth wicket with Saad, who hammered 51 off just 34 balls, smashing seven fours and one six. Zia got the wicket of Salman, but it was too late as Federal had almost reached the target. Salman banged five fours from 77 deliveries. Umaid Asif (18*) hit two sixes to take his side comfortably home in the 41st over. Hussain Talat remained not out on ten. Zia was the pick of the bowlers with 2-60.

KP skipper Mohammad Hafeez said that his team did not put in the effort which was expected of it.Federal Areas’ captain Kamran Akmal said it was a team effort.“Everybody had a hand in the achievement. The conditions were very tough but the boys remained steadfast,” Kamran said.

The winners were handed over a purse of Rs2 million and a glittering trophy, while the runners-up received Rs1 million and the runners-up trophy. Besides, Rs100,000 each was handed over to Khurram Manzoor (KP, best batsman, 393 runs), Waqas Maqsood (Federal Areas, best bowler, 14 wickets), Mohammad Nawaz (Balochistan, outstanding cricketer, 121 runs, 9 wickets) and Usman Shinwari (Federal Areas, man of the final).

Ahsan Raza and Asif Yaqoob supervised the match. Imtiaz Iqbal served as the television umpire, Waleed Baloch the reserve umpire and Nadeem Arshad the match referee.

Federal Areas won toss

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Innings

Khurram Manzoor run out 32

Shan Masood c & b Umaid 52

*M Hafeez lbw b Hussain 89

Israrullah c Umaid b Raza 26

†Umar Akmal c Saad b Usman 1

Adil Amin run out 22

Hammad Azam c Usman b Hussain 1

Hasan Khan not out 17

M Irfan(2) c Umaid b Usman 3

M Irfan(4) b Usman 0