Shahzaib, Sami help Karachi Blues win thriller

KARACHI: Dashing Shahzaib Hasan hit a sparkling fifty and Test pacer Mohammad Sami got three wickets at crucial stages to enable Karachi Blues to defeat Karachi Whites by nine runs in their opener of the National T20 Cup which began at the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi on Thursday.

Shahzaib struck 60 off 50 balls with six fours and a six to guide Karachi Blues to 158-8.

Sami picked 3-29 in his spell of four overs to restrict Karachi Whites to 149-8. After a blitz from Tariq Haroon and Sohail Khan near the end, Karachi Whites needed 23 runs from the last over, but left-arm pacer Rumman Raees conceded only 13.

After opting to bat first Karachi Blues had a disastrous start when left-arm medium fast bowler Mir Hamza got rid of Test opener Khurram Manzoor (0) off the third ball of the innings. Skipper Khalid Latif (17) and Shahzaib then added 47 runs for the second wicket before spinner Azam Hussain sent the former back to the pavilion. Khalid smashed two fours and a six from 12 balls.

Then it was Shahzaib who shouldered the responsibility while wickets kept falling at the other end.

Shahzaib was finally removed by paceman Tabish Khan, caught by keeper Mohammad Hassan. Karachi Blues were 124-7 in 17.2 overs.

Bilawal Bhatti used long handle, scoring unbeaten 21 off only ten balls to push Karachi Blues to a fighting total. Bilawal hammered two sixes and one four.

Sami hit 15 off seven balls, smacking two fours and a six.

Fawad Alam (8) failed to impress. Mir Hamza (2-27), Azam Hussain and Tabish Khan (2-36) bowled well.

Karachi Whites had a poor start when they lost their openers Ahsan Ali (4) and Zain Abbas (6) with only 13 on the board.

Ahsan was caught by Fawad, who ran from point towards gully area to take a nice catch when the right hander failed to negotiate a nasty delivery from Sami that lifted viciously from good length.

Zain was run out by Mohammad Asghar when he was sent back by Rameez Raja Junior.

Skipper Akbar-ur-Rehman (25) and Rameez (19) added 36 runs for the third wicket before Bilawal removed the latter to leave Karachi Whites reeling at 49-3. Rameez hit one six and one four from 22 deliveries.

Saeed Ajmal got rid of Asif Zakir (4) and Akbar before Sami had Mohammad Hassan (13) to leave Karachi Whites gasping at 80-6 in the 14th over.

Akbar struck four fours from 29 balls.

Whites needed 79 runs from 33 balls at that stage.

Veteran first-class cricketer Tariq Haroon (28) and Sohail Khan (25) kept the suspense by adding 51 off 21 balls for the seventh wicket. Bilawal shattered Whites’ hopes when he had the prized scalp of Tariq, who had smashed three sixes and one four from just 12 balls.

Sami removed Sohail, who had hit two sixes and one four from 14 deliveries. Azam Hussain remained not out on 14.

Bilawal had figures of 2-26 and Ajmal 2-21.

Shahzaib was declared man-of-the-match. Ahsan Raza and Rashid Riaz supervised the match. Ghaffar Kazmi was the television umpire and Ishtiaq Ahmed the match referee.

Mohammad Sajid was the reserve umpire.

Today’s fixtures: Islamabad v Peshawar, Rawalpindi v FATA.