Afzal’s blazing knock takes Agha Steel into semis

KARACHI: Mohammad Afzal’s power hitting took Agha Steel into the semi-finals as they overcame Sparco Paints by five wickets in the last quarter-final of the 33rd Karachi Gymkhana Ramazan Festival Twenty20 Cricket Tournament 2018 for the Omar Associates Trophy here at the KG Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Opening the innings, Afzal clobbered a couple of sixes and eight fours in his whirlwind knock of 71 coming from 37 balls which allowed Agha Steel to reach the target of 164 with an over to spare. He was adjudged Man of the Match.

Batting first, after winning the toss, Sparco Paints recovered to reach a fighting total of 163 for seven in the allotted 20 overs, thanks to the awesome batting of Arshad Pathan.

Coming in at number seven with his team reeling at 60 for five, despite opener Jumma Khan’s 33 off 17 balls, in the 10th over, he smashed as many as seven sixes and four fours in his breathtaking unbeaten 68 off 33 balls. He dominated the 69-run sixth wicket stand with Kamran Afzal (24 off 26 balls) while adding another 31 for the seventh wicket.Agha Steel’s left-arm spinners Hasan Mahmood (3-14) and Kashif Bhatti (2-24) bowled superbly and it were the other bowlers who were whacked all over the park by Arshad Pathan.

Chasing a target of 164, opener Nabeel Khalid started with a bang as he blasted 23 off nine balls. After his departure, fellow opener Afzal took over and the rate of scoring remained on the higher side.

Left-arm spinners Kamran Afzal (2-20) and Asfand Mehran (2-40) pulled it back for Sparco Paints but the unbroken 35-run sixth wicket stand between Jahandad Khan (17 off 14 balls) and Sohail Akhtar (15 off 14 balls) took Agha Steel over the line quite comfortably in the end.

Agha Steel completed the semi-final line-up along with hosts Karachi Gymkhana, Omar Cricket Club and Qasmi Gymkhana. Omar CC will take on Karachi Gymkhana in the first semi-final on Monday (today) while Qasmi Gymkhana will be pitted against Agha Steel in the second semi-final on Tuesday (tomorrow) with the final due to take place on Wednesday.