Shah, Gohar star in Ramazan Cricket

KARACHI: Opener Shan Masood and left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar starred for Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC) as they overcame Brighto Paints by 35 runs in their Group C encounter of the 5th Naya Nazimabad Ramazan Cup Twenty20 Cricket Tournament 2018 being played under floodlights, here at the picturesque Hussain Lawai Stadium.

Left-handed Shan, who missed the selection in Pakistan for the tour of Ireland and England because of injury, smashed a dazzling 80 while Zafar captured five wickets to let SSGC start their campaign on a winning note.

Batting first, SSGC posted a mammoth total of 212 for six with the lanky Shan reproducing his brilliant form with the bat, clobbering five sixes and fours in his whirlwind 80 off just 40 balls which gave him an astronomical strike rate of 200.

Adil Amin smashed a 78 off 48 deliveries and added 108-run for the second wicket with Shan after opener Muhammad Ahmed went for eight. Osama Mir added the misery of Brighton Paints with quick fire 20 off just six balls studded with three towering sixes as SSGC crossed 200-run mark.

Left-arm medium-pacer Muhammad Ashraf showed resilience under pressure by snapping three wickets for 28 runs in his four overs.Brighto Paints, making their debut in the competition, faced daunting task of 213 runs for victory. They battled hard before being dismissed for 177 with one ball to spare.

Opener Usman Nazir blasted five sixes and three boundaries in his 54 off 31 to offer challenge to the fancied SSGC side. Zeeshan Ashraf made a fighting 43 in 31 balls containing a couple of sixes and four fours. Tail ender Raees Butt showed resistance in the end with a 21 balls knock of 29 with the aid of three sixes and a four. But the effort went in vain.

Pakistan’s junior international Zafar Gohar become the first bowler in this tournament to take five wickets in match as he gave away only 24 runs in four-over spell of left arm spin. He and Shan Masood received Joint Man of the Match award.