Punjab Blues, KP Whites to play U19 Cup final

LAHORE: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Whites beat Balochistan Whites by 10 wickets at the Saeed Ajmal Academy in Faisalabad on Wednesday to reach the final of the National Under-19 Cup.

In the final, they will face Central Punjab Blues, who topped Pool A after their final group match against Sindh Blues was abandoned due to rain.

The final will take place on Friday (tomorrow) at the Rana Naveed Cricket Academy in Sheikhupura.

All Pool A fixtures on Wednesday were abandoned due to rain.

At the Saeed Ajmal Academy in Faisalabad, after opting to bat first, Balochistan were bundled out for 56 in the 20th over. Only Tanveer Khan (10) managed double figures.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Whites’ Tahir Ali and Jawad Ali bagged three wickets apiece. Mohammad Tahir and Yasir Ahmed took two wickets each.

In return, it took 7.4 overs for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Whites openers to achieve the target. Right-handed Afkar Durani returned unbeaten on 31 off 25 balls which included four fours and one six.

In the first abandoned match of Pool B, Northern Blues after opting to bat first were 99 for one in 16 overs when play was stopped.

Opener Hussnain Nadeem returned unbeaten on a 51-ball 55, hitting nine fours.

In another abandoned match of the group, Central Punjab Whites had scored 87 for one in 19 overs when rain stopped play. Opener Ali Zoraiz scored an unbeaten 60-ball 54, hitting eight fours.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Whites topped Pool B.

In Pool A, Central Punjab Blues topped the table with nine points from five matches, winning four matches (got one point from the abandoned match).