Nasir powers Quetta Gladiators Academy to convincing win

KARACHI: Abdul Nasir’s fine all-round performance guided Quetta Gladiators Academy to an emphatic six-wicket victory over Al Hamza Sports in their Group A encounter of the Karachi Gymkhana Omar Associates Ramazan Festival Cricket Tournament 2019 here at the KG Cricket Ground on Monday.

Opting to bat first, Al Hamza Sports scored 158 for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Quetta Gladiators Academy overcame a middle-order collapse to reach the target in the final over with six wickets in hand. Abdul Nasir was declared the Man of the Match.

Opener Ahmed Hussain’s 56 off 39 balls containing three sixes and five fours provided a solid platform to Al Hamza Sports but they lost their way against the spin trio of Abdul Nasir (3-32), Shabbir Ahmed (2-19) and Abdul Malik (2-24). It was Shahid Mirani’s whirlwind 31 inclusive of two sixes and three fours which raised the total to 158.

Quetta Gladiators Academy lost a wicket early in pursuit of their target but opener Zubair Mengal’s 50 off 44 balls kept the scoreboard ticking and he was involved in productive partnerships with Salahuddin (26 off 21 balls) and Shabbir Ahmed (28 off 18 balls).

Al Hamza Sports bounced back through the off-spin of Ahmed Hussain who captured two wickets in quick succession but Nasir kept his cool to finish it off with an unbeaten 32 off 22 balls, hitting a couple of towering sixes and a four as the winning runs came with three deliveries remaining.