KARACHI: Balochistan survived Fawad Alam’s blitz of 130 as they recorded their second successive win when they defeated Sindh by 19 runs in a high-scoring day-night outing of the Pakistan Cup 2017 National One-day Cricket Championship at the Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi, on Tuesday.
Fawad did some ruthless hitting as he hammered 13 fours in his 117-ball career-best knock but even then Sindh managed only 279-7 while chasing a target of 299 in the stipulated 50 overs.
After they were invited to bat first by Sindh’s skipper Anwar Ali, Fakhar Zaman (59) and rookie right-handed batsman Sahibzada Farhan (54) gave a solid 95 runs opening stand to Balchistan off 97 deliveries.
Left-arm international spinner Mohammad Nawaz broke the partnership when he had Farhan stumped by keeper Mohammad Hasan.
Farhan smashed nine fours from 57 deliveries.
In the next over, left-arm medium pacer Rumman Raees had Sohaib Maqsood (2) when he edged a delivery to the keeper that was pitched on the off-stump and slightly moved away from him.
In the next over, Nawaz got rid of wicket-keeper batsman Bismillah Khan (5) to bring Sindh back in the game as Balochistan were 107-3 in the 18th over.
Left-hander Saad Ali (35) and Fakhar then tried to rebuild the innings but part-time spinner Asif Zakir had the latter held excellently by Fawad Alam at gully. It was referred to the television umpire Ahmed Shahab who confirmed that Fawad had taken a clean catch — just inches off the ground while diving towards his right.
Fakhar smacked seven fours from 69 balls. Saad and Rameem Aziz (29) also failed to build a solid partnership as the former was superbly held by Umar Gul at mid-off off the bowling of Rumman while diving towards his left with Balochistan struggling at 175-5 in the 34th over. Saad hammered three fours and a six from 47 balls.
Fawad got Rameez, who hit one four from 39 balls. Aamer Yamin (52*) added 53 off 42 deliveries for the seventh wicket with Agha Salman (34) before Umar Gul removed the latter. Salman hammered one four and one six from 32 deliveries.
Yamin added a rapid 41 off 27 balls for the eighth wicket unbroken stand with Khalid Usman (19*) to take their side to a fighting total.
Yamin smacked three sixes and as many fours in his quick-fire 37-ball feat to take his side to 298-7. Khalid hit two fours from 14 deliveries. Balochistan scored 64-0 in the first ten overs, were 121-3 in 20, 161-4 in 30 and 217-6 in 40. They added 81 runs off the last ten overs.
Nawaz (2-49 in nine) and Rumman (2-66 in ten) were the successful bowlers for Sindh.
Sindh had a disappointing start as international medium-pacer Aamer Yamin once again bowled well. He removed opener Zain Abbas (5) and Asif Zakir (3) in quick succession. Sindh were 30-2 in 10.4 overs.
Fawad joined Test discard Khurram Manzoor (34) but the latter was removed by left-arm spinner Khalid Usman to add to the misery of Sindh.
Khurram smashed four fours in his 49-ball knock. Fawad took the responsibility on his shoulders and played aggressively to keep Sindh in the hunt as wickets kept falling at the other end. The international left-hander added 41 runs for the fourth wicket with Akbar-ur-Rehman (21) and 68 off 58 balls for the fifth wicket with Anwar Ali (36), who fell after hitting three fours from 35 deliveries.
Fawad did some merciless hitting, adding 94 off just 61 balls for the seventh wicket association with wicketkeeper batsman Mohammad Hasan (29*) but failed to reach the target.
Fawad, who struck his seventh hundred in this form of cricket, fell in the last over.
Hasan smashed just one four in his run-a-ball unbeaten knock.
Aamer Yamin once again remained impressive with the leather by grabbing 2-40 in eight overs. Spinner Khalid Usman captured 2-49 in nine overs.
