All-round Naved powers Acme Technologies to comfortable win

KARACHI: Skipper Naved Khan’s brilliant all-round performance powered Acme Technologies to 37-run victory over Sparco Paints in a low-scoring Group B encounter of Karachi Gymkhana Ramadan Festival Twenty20 here at KG Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

Opening the innings, Naved stroked 60 off 52 balls to help Acme Technologies post a fighting total of 144 for three. He returned the impressive figures of three for 19 off four overs with his off-spin to send Sparco Paints tumbling to 107 all out in 18.1 overs. He was the unanimous choice for Man of the Match award.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, Acme Technologies chose to play risk-free cricket and were happy to rotate the strike rather than finding boundaries. Gulfam Nazir hit just one boundary in his unbeaten 28 off 25 balls.

Fahad Shaikh, the other not out batsman, made 32 off 27 balls with the help of one six and three fours. Left-arm spinner Asfand Mehran took two of the three wickets to fall during the innings.

Sparco Paints were given an exhilarating start by Jumma Khan, who blasted two sixes and four fours in his sizzling 31 off only 12 balls. But all other batsmen struggled to get on top of the bowling and even Kamran Afzal’s 32 off 47 balls could not prevent them from getting routed at a low total.