Federal Areas crowned Pakistan Cup champions

KARACHI: Test cricketers Sami Aslam hit 109 and Mohammad Hafeez hammered 83 to enable Federal Areas lift the title when they defeated Balochistan by one wicket in the day-night final of the Pakistan Cup 2017 National One-day Cricket Championship at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi on Saturday.

The duo shared 158 for the second wicket stand as Federal Areas achieved the 324-run target off the last ball. Federal needed one run off the last ball from Zia-ul-Haq when Sarmad Bhatti (15*) hit a fine four to take his side home.

Earlier, Sahibzada Farhan’s 112 off 94 balls enabled Balochistan post 323-9.

After being invited to bat, Farhan and skipper Fakhar Zaman (10) provided a 47-run opening stand to Balochistan in 8.1 overs. Fakhar was removed by off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez.

The left-handed Fakhar came down the wicket and wanted to hit it over the mid-off fielder Sami Aslam but failed to do so as he took a comfortable catch.

Fakhar struck one four from 22 balls.

Farhan, who seemed in elegant touch, then added 53 off 57 balls for the second wicket with discarded international Sohaib Maqsood (32) who was removed by rookie left-arm arm spinner Hassan Khan. It was a flighted delivery, Sohaib went for a slog sweep but only to sky it with Imad Wasim taking an easy catch at first slip.

Sohaib, who did not play a major innings in the event, smacked one six and two fours from 37 deliveries. When Sohaib departed Balochistan were 100-2 in the 18th over. Farhan was then given an ample support by left-hander Saad Ali (27) as the duo shared 75 off 73 deliveries for the third wicket to consolidate the innings. Saad was the next man got out when he was held at deep third man by Ehsan Adil off the bowling of Test pacer Sohail Khan.

Ehsan fumbled before controlling the ball on fourth attempt. Karachi-born Saad smashed one four from 35 balls.

Imad Wasim then got the key wicket of Farhan to leave Balochistan at 193-4 in the 34th over.

Farhan, who hit Hassan for a glorious six to complete his first century of his career, hammered 11 fours and four sixes in his excellent effort that also helped him to finish the event with 331 runs. Farhan’s fifty had come off 40 balls.

Hafeez then had Agha Salman (11) and Rameez Aziz (26) in quick succession to reduce Balochistan to 238-6 in 41 overs. Rameez, who was stumped by Abid Ali, hammered one six and one four from 32 balls.

At this stage Aamer Yamin (47) and Sohail Tanvir (36) shared a rapid 71 off 43 balls for the seventh wicket association to take their side to a decent total.

Yamin, young all-rounder, smashed five fours and a six from 37 balls. Tanvir hammered two fours and two sixes in his 23-ball blitz.

Wicket-keeper Bismillah Khan remained not out on 11 which he scored off six balls and had one six.

Hafeez was the most successful bowler as he claimed 3-63 in nine overs. Sohail Khan (2-80 in 10), Zohaib Ahmed (2-41 in 5) and Imad Wasim (2-44 in 10) were the other successful bowlers.

Federal Areas had a poor start when in the third over Sohail Tanvir got rid of Abid Ali (6), held by Bismillah behind the stumps.

However, Test cricketers Sami (109) and Hafeez (83) spurred the recovery as they added 158 off 140 balls for the second wicket to keep their team in the hunt.

Hafeez, who also survived once, was dislodged by part-time spinner Rameez Aziz after the former Pakistan captain had hit nine fours and two sixes from 75 balls. Hafeez emerged as the leading scorer of the event with 362.

At that stage Federal were 176-2 in 26.2 overs.

In the next over left-arm young pacer Ghulam Mudassir had Haris Sohail (1), with keeper Bismillah taking a wonderful catch.

Sami then added 46 for the fourth wicket with Imad Wasim (21) who was sent by Sohail Tanvir after the skipper hit one six and one four from 27 balls.

And Ghulam Mudassir then removed Sami to dent Federal’s winning chances. Sami, who was held by keeper Bismillah, smashed 13 fours and one six in his run-a-ball hundred, his second successive in the event. He finished as the second highest scorer with 333.

Federal were 239-5 in 39.3 overs when Sami fell.

Hussain Talat (36) and Zohaib Ahmed (29) then shared 49 crucial runs off 32 balls for the sixth wicket before Mudassir had the later to leave Federal at 288-8 in 44.5 overs.

Zohaib struck two fours and a six from 20 balls. Hussain Talat then fell after hitting three fours and one six from 27 balls. Sohail Khan (5) and Hassan (2) then fell before Sarmad and Ehsan Adil (1*) made Federal home. Sohail Tanvir (3-49) and Ghulam Mudassir (3-68) bowled well.

Scoreboard

Federal Areas won toss

Balochistan

*Fakhar Zaman c Sami b Hafeez    10

Sahibzada Farhan b Imad    112

Sohaib Maqsood c Hasan b Imad     32

Saad Ali c Ehsan b Sohail     27

Rameez Aziz st Abid b Hafeez        26

Agha Salman c Sarmad b Hafeez    11

Aamer Yamin b Zohaib        47

Sohail Tanvir b Zohaib         36

†Bismillah Khan not out       11

Zia-ul-Haq c Hasan b Sohail  2

Ghulam Mudassar not out    1

Extras (lb 2, w 5, nb 1)       8

Total (9 wickets; 50 overs)  323

Fall: 1-47, 2-100, 3-175, 4-193, 5-212, 6-238, 7-309, 8-310, 9-321

Bowling: Sohail 10-0-80-2 (1nb, 2w); Ehsan 5-0-27-0 (2w); Hafeez 9-1-63-3 (1w); Zohaib 5-0-41-2; Imad 10-0-44-2; Hasan 9-0-57-0; Hussain 2-0-9-0

Federal Areas

Sami Aslam c Bismillah b Ghulam    109

†Abid Ali c Bismillah b Sohail 6

M Hafeez c Agha b Rameez  83

Haris Sohail c Bismillah b Ghulam    1

*Imad Wasim c Fakhar b Sohail      21

Hussain Talat c Bismillah b Sohail    36

Zohaib Ahmed c Saad b Ghulam     29

Sarmad Bhatti not out         15

Sohail Khan run out   5

Hasan Khan run out   2

Ehsan Adil not out     1

Extras (lb 3, w 15, nb 1)      19

Total (9 wickets; 50 overs)  327

Fall: 1-18, 2-176, 3-177, 4-223, 5-239, 6-288, 7-300, 8-315, 9-322

Bowling: Sohail 10-0-49-3 (1w); Aamer 10-0-67-0 (2w); Zia 8-0-56-0 (1nb, 3w); Ghulam 10-0-68-3 (4w); Agha 3-0-29-0 (1w); Fakhar 3-0-26-0; Rameez 6-1-29-1

Result: Federal Areas won by 1 wicket

Umpires: Ahsan Raza and Riazuddin. TV umpire: Shozab Raza. Match referee: Aziz-ur-Rehman