NBP, SBP advance in Ramazan Cricket

KARACHI: National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) recorded resounding victories over their respective rivals in the preliminary round matches of the 5th Naya Nazimabad Ramazan Cup Twenty20 Cricket Tournament 2018 being played under floodlights, here at the picturesque Hussain Lawai Stadium.

NBP stunned holders Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) by six wickets in their Group A fixture while SBP blasted Brighto Paints by eight wickets in the same group.

Electing to bat, after calling correctly, SNGPL recovered from 97 for five to reach a fighting total of 163 for six in the allotted 20 overs. Khurram Shahzad led the recovery with a fighting unbeaten 36 off 20 balls laced with a six and four boundaries while skipper Muhammad Rizwan top-scored with a steady 41 off 38 deliveries with the help of a six and three fours.

Asif Ali smashed a couple of towering sixes in his 15-ball knock of 21 and Hussain Talat made 18 from 13 balls with three strikes to the ropes. Former Test left-arm spinner Abdul Rahman bowled tightly for his two wickets for 16 runs off four overs.

Chasing a target of 164, NBP lost opener Haris Ali for three and Ahsan Ali for 32 that included three fours and one six but Rameez Raja Jr and Naveed Yasin put them on top by adding 88 runs for the third wicket.

Naveed hit two sixes and four fours in his 28-ball while Rameez, declared Man of the Match, clobbered three sixes and four fours in his 60 off 42 balls. Skipper Bilal Asif played a little cameo of five-ball 15 as the winning runs came with five balls to spare. In the other match, SBP restricted Brighto Paints to 169 for nine in 20 overs despite flamboyant knocks from opener Bilal Shah (37 off 17 balls) and Raees Butt (36 off 21 balls). Leg spinner Zahid Mahmood captured three wickets for 18 runs in four overs to stem the flow of runs.

Opener Sahibzada Farhan cracked an unbeaten 80 off 52 balls three sixes and eight fours, following his 90 the other night, and Israrullah made 44 not out off 23 balls laced with three sixes and two fours to lead the victory charge. They shared an unbroken 87 runs stand for easy second win for their team while Sahibzada Farhan won his second successive Man of the Match award.