Northern Blues get better of Balochistan in National U19 Cup

RAWALPINDI: Northern Blues got the better of Balochistan Blues by four wickets in the National Under-19 Cricket Cup at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium here Thursday.

Opting to bat first, Balochistan were bowled out for 130 in the 34th over despite getting off to a solid start. Opening pair Obaid Khan (35 off 26) and Yasir Khan (28 off 43 balls) provided a formidable 64-run start to the innings.

For Northern Blues, Faraz Khan, Mehran Mumtaz and Zain Ali Sajid picked three wickets each.

In return, Northern Blues chased down the target in the 25th over for the loss of six wickets. Opening batter Haseeb Imran top-scored with a 63-ball 54.

Balochistan Blues’ Kabir Raj picked 2-36 in seven overs.

In the Pool B second match played at the Shalimar Ground in Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Blues recorded a four-wicket win over Central Punjab Blues.

After being put into bat, Central Punjab Blues were dismissed for 115 in the 33rd over.

For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Blues, Salahuddin picked 3-17 in seven fours, while he was supported by Zeeshan Ahmed and Maaz Ahmed Sadaqat who shared four wickets between them.

In reply, Ahmad Khan unbeaten 37 off 26 balls and Najab Khan (37 off 72) helped his side chased down the target in the 33rd over with four wickets in hand.

Central Punjab Blues’ Awais Ali picked three wickets for 23.

In the third Pool B fixture, Sindh Blues defeated Southern Punjab Blues by 39 runs at the National Cricket Ground in Islamabad.

Aaliyan Mehmood top scored with 54 off 86. Mohammad Umer contributed a quick-fire 39 off 32. For Southern Punjab Blues, Zarrar Shakeel picked 5-28, while Moheer Saeed grabbed 2-29.

Batting first Sindh Whites were bowled out for 262 in the 50th over with Wahaj Riaz top-scoring with 76 off 98. Kashif Ali scored 52 off 60.

Arafat Ahmed Minhas, Awais Abbas, Faisal Akram, Mohammad Aqib Asghar and Mohammad Ismail picked two wickets each.

In reply, opening batter Shehzad top-scored with a 119-ball 97 hitting six fours and one six. Shehzad was equally supported by Husnain Majid (48 off 61) and Mohammad Uzair Mumtaz (42 off 50) to help Southern Punjab U19 Whites chased down the target with two balls spare.

In the Pool A match at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot, Balochistan Whites Haseebullah century went in vain as Northern Whites overcame by three wickets. Batting first Balochistan U19 Whites were dismissed for 223 in the 47th over on the back of Haseebullah’s 148-ball 116.

For Northern Whites, Usman Khan picked four for 30, while Abdul Basit and Jahandad Khan grabbed two wickets each. Northern Whites chased down the target in the 49th over for the loss of seven wickets.

Scores in brief: Sindh Whites beat Southern Punjab Whites by five wickets: Sindh Whites 262 all out, 49.4 overs (Wahaj Riaz 76, Kashif Ali 52, Habibullah 39; Arafat Ahmed Minhas 2-39, Faisal Akram 2-40, Mohammad Ismail 2-41, Mohammad Aqib Asghar 2-45, Awais Abbas 2-54). Southern Punjab Whites 263-5, 49.4 overs (Mohammad Shehzad 97, Husnain Majid 48, Mohammad Uzair Mumtaz 42, Aon Shehzad 39; Kashif Ali 2-53). Northern Whites beat Balochistan Whites by three wickets: Balochistan Whites 223 all out, 47 overs (Haseebullah 116; Usman Khan 4-30, Abdul Basit 2-44, Jahandad Khan 2-45). Northern Whites 225-7, 48.3 overs (Sudais Ulfat 41, Ali Hasnain Sabir 33 not out).

Central Punjab Whites beat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Whites by 64 runs: Central Punjab 152 all out, 39.2 overs (Mohammad Ibtasam Ahmed 43 not out, Usman Nadeem 39; Muhammad Irfan 3-30, Abbas Ali 2-21, Ismail Khan 2-29). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 88 all out, 27.5 overs (Mohammad Hassan Hameed 3-6, Hunain Shah 3-15, Mohammad Awais 2-7). Northern Blues beat Balochistan Blues by four wickets: Balochistan Blues 130 all out, 33.4 overs (Obaid Khan 35, Yasir Khan 28; Faraz Khan 3-9, Zain Ali Sajid 3-20, Mehran Mumtaz 3-25). Northern Blues 133-6, 24.4 overs (Haseeb Imran 54; Kabir Raj 2-36). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Blues beat Central Punjab Blues by four wickets: Central Punjab Blues 115 all out, 33 overs (Shahwaiz Irfanullah 25, Zainul Abdin 20; Salahuddin 3-17, Zeeshan Ahmed 2-3, Maaz Ahmed Sadaqat 2-20). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Blues 118-6, 32.5 overs (Ahmad Khan 37 not out, Najab Khan 37; Awais Ali 3-23).

Sindh Blues beat Southern Punjab Blues by 39 runs: Sindh Blues 176 all out, 34.2 overs (Aaliyan Mehmood 54, Mohammad Umer 39; Zarrar Shakeel 5-28, Moheer Saeed 2-29). Southern Punjab Blues 137 all out, 30.3 overs (Ali Afzal 30 not out; Rizwan Mehmood 3-5, Khuwaja Mohammad Hafeez 3-22).