Southern Punjab record consolation win

LAHORE: Southern Punjab ended their National T20 campaign with a consolation win as they defeated defending champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 11 runs in their tenth and final match at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday evening.

Southern Punjab exited the tournament having won only three matches (six points).

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remain in the semi-final hunt as they are on course for a top-four finish (five wins and four defeats in nine matches). They play their last group match against Northern.

On Sunday evening, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faltered in their 194-run chase despite solid contributions from Nabi Gul, Kamran Ghulam and Muhammad Iftikhar.

Nabi top-scored with 54 off 31 balls (five fours, three sixes). The right-hander added 79 for the fourth wicket with Kamran who scored 46 off 33 (four fours, two sixes). The two joined hands with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reeling at 32 for three after 6.5 overs.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lost their way as Kamran and Nabi perished in quick succession. The lower-order batters struggled to manage the mounting asking rate. Needing 30 off the final over bowled by Mohammad Ilyas, Iftikhar and Niaz Khan managed 18 runs.

Iftikhar remained unbeaten on 33 (21 balls, one four, three sixes).

Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa won the toss and opted to field. Southern Punjab openers Tayyab Tahir and Sharoon Siraj (18) scored 39 in five overs.

Tayyab then combined with Salman Ali Agha in a 56-run second-wicket stand. Salman was dismissed for 16. Wicketkeeper Azam Khan joined Tayyab for a breezy 35-run third-wicket stand. Azam hit three sixes and one four in his quickfire 25 off 13 balls.

Tayyab was dismissed by Imran Khan Snr for a career-best 78 off 48 balls. The right-hander’s attacking innings included eight fours and three sixes.

Captain Aamer Yamin scored 24 off 13 balls while Yousuf Babar remained not out on 14 off six as Southern Punjab finished their 20 overs with a formidable total on the board. On Saturday night, Northern defeated Balochistan by five wickets in a battle of nerves between bowlers and batsmen.

Balochistan nearly pushed Northern to the well by sending back Ali Imran and Zeeshan Malik but Rohail Nazir (10) and veteran allrounder Sohail Tanvir (10) rescued their team from a certain defeat.

After Balochistan’s Umaid Asif bowled a brilliant 19th over giving away five runs and taking a wicket, 15 runs were required in the final over. But their left arm pacer Junaid Khan was smashed three times in that over. Rohail hit a four on his first ball and then took a single. Tanvir timed a boundary on the third ball and then played a dot. But on the fifth ball, Tanvir slammed a pull off the backfoot for a six to grab win from the jaws of defeat.

Asked to bat first, Balochistan rode on the skills of Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq to stitch 185 runs for seven wickets. But Northern despite wilting on occasions bounced back magnificently to get the target.

Both the teams went neck and neck before Balochistan trapped Ali Imran (64) and Zeeshan Malik (53).

Now with this win, Northern have climbed to the top of the table while Balochstan are still languishing at the fifth spot with six points.

Balochistan put up a competitive total but were let down by their bowlers as Amad Butt bled plenty of runs.

Northern's Ali Imran laid the platform with his magnificent knock that was laced with three fours and five sixes.

Earlier, it was the day of Abdullah Shafique to flourish with the bat for Balochistan. Imam-ul-Haq started in the same fashion as the previous match. Both these batsmen smacked half centuries.

Shafique in his 73 off 44 balls hit 13 boundaries.

Imam reached his half century in 38 balls and on the 39th ball he lost his wicket after hitting seven boundaries.