Gul, Khurram keep Sindh alive

KARACHI: Khurram Manzoor slammed an explosive unbeaten hundred and Umar Gul took four wickets to help Sindh stay alive as they dethroned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with an eight-wicket victory in their day-night third round outing of the Pakistan Cup 2017 National One-day Cricket Championship at the Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi, on Tuesday.

If Federal Areas beat Balochistan on Wednesday (today), Sindh’s fight against Punjab on Thursday (tomorrow) will decide the fate of Sindh in the five-team event. Balochistan have qualified for the April 29 final with six points which they have earned through three wins on the trot.

Khurram smashed 118 not out off just 61 balls to enable Sindh to achieve the 193-run target in only 22.4 overs after losing only two wickets.

Earlier, Gul captured 4-44 in 10 overs to enable Sindh to dismiss KP for only 192, the lowest total of the event so far.

After opting to bat first, KP, the winners of the 2016 event, had a brittle start when lanky Test pacer Umar Gul had left-hander Israrullah (1) in the third over of the innings. The ball was pitched on the off-stump and Israr edged it onto the stumps.

Test cricketer Iftikhar Ahmed (27) and Mohammad Naeem (34) added 48 off 52 balls before young leggie Usama Mir had Iftikhar caught in the deep by Khurram Manzoor. Iftikhar wanted to hit the full-toss high, but mistimed it.

Iftikhar, who had hit a fine century in the previous show, smashed four fours in his run-a-ball knock.

Off his next ball, Usama got rid of Naeem to leave KP struggling at 63-3 in the 12th over. It was a quick flipper, the left-hander went on back foot, wanted to flick it, missed it and the umpire had no hesitation in giving the batsman out lbw. Naeem smacked seven fours from 35 balls.

Skipper Mohammad Rizwan (35) and former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik (41) scored 68 off 74 balls for the fourth wicket to consolidate the innings. Usama broke the partnership when he had Malik caught at backward point by Fawad Alam when the right-hander wanted to cut a delivery that pitched on the off-stump and bounced a bit more than expected by the batsman.

Malik hammered two fours and one six from 49 deliveries.

Gul further dented KP’s position when he had Nabi Gul (3) and Rizwan in quick succession to leave KP tottering at 157-6 in the 33rd over.

Nabi edged a delivery from Gul to keeper Mohammad Hassan and Rizwan was bowled.

International stumper Rizwan struck one six and one four from 40 balls.

KP lost their remaining four wickets for just 35 runs. Kashif Bhatti struck 21-ball 17 with a couple of fours.

Usama had figures of 3-44. International all-rounder Anwar Ali took 2-23 in 5.4 overs.

In reply, Khurram’s blitz made it easy for Sindh as he plundered runs at a high pace to take Sindh home. He reached his fifty off just 34 balls and completed his hundred from 56 deliveries.

Khurram, who completed his 18th century in his 122nd List A outing, hammered six sixes and 16 fours. Khurram provided a 51-run opening stand off just 33 balls with Asif Zakir (28), who was caught by Rizwan behind the stumps off the bowling of Taj Wali.

Asif smashed six fours from 21 balls. Khurram shared 130 off 97 balls for the second wicket with experienced Akbar-ur-Rehman (43), who was removed by spinner Kashif Bhatti after the right-hander had hammered six fours from 53 deliveries. Saif Badar remained not out without opening his account. Left-arm paceman Taj Wali (1-45) and Kashif (1-49) were the successful bowlers. Khurram was adjudged man-of-the-match.  Rashid Riaz and Riazuddin supervised the match.