Mubasir shines as Northern tame CP

KARACHI: Mubasir Khan's all-round display guided Northern to a 23-run victory over Central Punjab in their Pakistan Cup match here at the SBP Sports Complex on Friday.

Mubasir hit an unbeaten 102, his second ton of the event, to enable Northern post a huge total of 303-7 in the allotted 50 overs.

Mubasir then took 4-51 with his off-break bowling to fold Central Punjab for 280.

Mubasir displayed fine skills as he chipped in with another hundred to pile-up a decent total on the board. He hammered seven sixes and five fours in his 62-ball super knock. Haider Ali chipped in with an 87-ball 77 which featured seven fours and two sixes. He shared 81 for the opening stand with Zeeshan Malik who belted a 63-ball 41 which contained six fours. He then shared another 64 for the second wicket with skipper Umar Amin who made a 43-ball 34 with three fours.

Central Punjab's spinner Usama Mir claimed 4-45 in his quota of ten overs.

In reply, Central Punjab fell short of the required target and were folded for 280 with Tayyab Tahir (61) and Ahmed Shehzad (54) making solid contributions.

Mubasir Khan was ably backed by his fellow spinner Saad Nasim who picked 3-43.

Meanwhile in the other fixture here at the UBL Sports Complex, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa conquered Sindh by four wickets. Sindh were bowled out for 233 in the 43rd over with Danish Aziz top-scoring 53 which came off 61 balls and had four sixes and two fours. Saim Ayub chipped in with 35 off 27 balls and had four fours and two sixes. Sharjeel Khan made a 23-ball 35 with five fours and two sixes.

Sajid Khan, Ihsanullah and Khalid Usman got three wickets each.

In reply, KP chased the target in the 37th over with Israrullah scoring 61 off 59 balls which featured five fours and one six. Waqar Ahmed belted 59 off 45 balls, which contained eight fours and three sixes. Iftikhar Ahmed made 30-ball 43, hitting four fours and three sixes. Anwar Ali took 2-25.

In the other fixture here at the NBP Sports Complex, Balochistan defeated Southern Punjab by six wickets.

Balochistan rode on the batting heroics of Imran Butt (72), Abdul Wahid (37), Naseebullah (33) and Bismillah Khan (33*) to chase the 220-run target with an enviable ease. Faisal Akram claimed 3-47.