ISLAMABAD: Asad Shafiq’s (66) exciting knock snatched victory for Overseas Warriors against Rawalakot Hawks in the high-scoring Kashmir Premier League (KPL) match at the Muzaffarabad Stadium.
Set to score a daunting 180 for the win, Warriors reached home at the start of 20th over with international discard Asad Shafiq smashing nine fours and one six during his stay at the wicket.
Asad Shafiq and Kamran Ghulam propelled Warriors beyond the hundred-run mark. After half the innings, the score was 105-1 and Overseas Warriors were in search of swift scoring opportunities. Asad Shafiq heaved one in the deep but caught right at the fence when the score was 139 and Kamran Ghulam, another settled batsman, got caught to end the magnificent stand of 104 runs.
Azam Khan and Saif Badar were cruising until Muhammad Amir uprooted the stumps of Saif Badar (7), in the 18th over, to bring Rawalakot back in the game.
Warriors needed 20 in the last two overs and Azam’s onslaught – two sixes and a four – dragged his side to the edge of victory, with only two runs required in the last over. Overseas Warriors eventually won by six wickets.
Earlier, Hawks’ openers Ahmed Shahzad and Bismillah Khan started off with a purpose. Bismillah was the aggressor, in particular, stroking 16-ball 30, before getting dismissed, within the power-play.
Ahmed Shahzad was joined by Rohail Khan and the duo stretched the score beyond century. Ahmed crafted seven fours and two maximum for his innings of 65 (45). His dismissal also put an end to a glorious standoff.
Later, Rohail Nazeer (28 off 25) and Ammad Butt (12-ball 21), aided the Hawks to reach 179-8 in 20 overs. Farhan Shafiq was economical with a bowling spell of four overs, claiming two wickets at the expense of 16 runs. Ali Shafiq snapped up a couple for 31 runs. In another match, Jammu Janbaz came up with an unprecedented strategy to pin down Bagh Stallions.