Lahore Whites, Rawalpindi record contrasting wins

KARACHI: Lahore Whites and Rawalpindi recorded contrasting victories on the opening day of the National T20 Cup which commenced at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan on Monday.

Lahore Whites defeated holders Lahore Blues by five wickets, while Rawalpindi edged past Islamabad by six runs in a close finish. Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt hit 40-ball 47 with seven fours to enable Lahore Whites to chase the 140-run target with seven balls to spare.

Zeeshan Ashraf made a-run-a-ball 26 with one six and one four. Saif Badar (25*) and discarded international Wahab Riaz (17*) added 42 for the fifth wicket to take their team home safely.

Badar smashed two fours and a six in his 13-ball innings. Wahab struck two fours from 13 balls. Skipper Kamran Akmal fell for only eight after opening the innings with Salman Butt, having hit two fours from three deliveries.

Test discard Ehsan Adil was the pick of the bowlers with 2-41 from 3.5 overs.After opting to bat first, Rizwan Hussain scored a superb 34-ball 55 with three sixes and three fours to guide Lahore Blues to 139-9.

Test stumper Adnan Akmal scored a-run-a-ball 21 not out with two fours. Young all-rounder Amad Butt bowled superbly, picking 3-18 in his four overs which included the prized scalp of Agha Salman (5), who was held by Kamran Akmal behind the stumps.

Test spinner Bilal Asif got 2-35 in four overs. Salman Butt was adjudged the man-of-the-match.In the earlier match of the day, Islamabad were restricted to 148-7 in the allotted 20 overs while chasing 155.

At one stage, Islamabad were gasping at 88-6, but Test cricketer Sohail Khan (38) and skipper Imad Wasim (36*) used long handles, sharing a rapid 32-ball 54 for the seventh wicket to take their team close to victory.

Sohail Khan clobbered two sixes and three fours in his explosive 17-ball knock. Imad hammered three fours from 27 deliveries.Faizan Riaz struck a-run-a-ball 24 with two fours and Rohail Nazir made 17-ball 21 with four boundaries.

Spinner Zahid Mansoor was the pick of the bowlers with 2-23 from three overs.After being invited to bat, Sami Aslam carried most of the batting weight of Rawalpindi, who amassed 154-4 in their 20 overs.

Test discard Sami, who hit six fours in his 47-ball 55, added 44 for the second wicket with Haider Ali, who chipped in with a rapid 16-ball 28, smacking two sixes and two fours.Discarded international Hammad Azam hammered a-run-a-ball 22 with one four. Skipper Umar Amin made 15-ball 18 not out, including one six.

Imad (1-24 in 4), Shoail (1-29 in 4), Junaid Khan (1-34 in 4) and Umar Gul (1-33 in 4) claimed one wicket each.

Rawalpindi opened their account with two points.Karachi whites will begin their journey on Tuesday (today) when they face hosts Multan at 3pm. At 11am, Peshawar will take on FATA.

Four leading sides at the end will reach the semi-finals to be held on December 24. The final will be conducted on December 25.