aLAHORE: The semi-finals of the Pakistan Cup – the final tournament of the 2021-22 season, will be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Monday and Wednesday, with the winners going head to head on Friday at the same venue.
In the first semi-final on Monday (today), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will take on Central Punjab. Balochistan will lock horns with Sindh on Wednesday.
KP captain Khalid Usman said: “We have done really well in this domestic season, winning five tournaments and are really looking forward to end the season on a winning note. Central Punjab is a good side and they have some very good seasoned players. We too have a very balanced side and we have been playing together as a unit for three years. I am personally very satisfied with my bowling performances in the tournament and I hope it will help my team to win the semi-final and later the final .”
In the first round match between the two sides at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa inflicted a crushing five-wicket defeat on Central Punjab when they achieved the 216-run target with 46 balls to spare. Kamran Ghulam and Waqar Ahmed struck half-centuries, while captain Khalid Usman and spinner Mehran Ibrahim bagged three wickets apiece.
For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Adil Amin has been their star batter, having scored 393 runs in 10 matches with four half-centuries. He has received good support from Sarwar Afridi (356 runs) and Kamran Ghulam (352 runs). Khalid with his left-arm spin leads the bowling chart with 23 wickets. Right-arm pacers Arshad Iqbal and Sameen Gul have picked nine and eight wickets, respectively.