Bureau Report
Karachi: Central Punjab (CP) made a classic comeback in Pakistan Cup after Tayyab Tahir (131) helped them chase 321 for the loss of six wickets against Southern Punjab (SP) to win their first contest so far in the event.
Set to chase 321, CP got their opening pair in form as Tayyab alongside Rizwan Hussain scored 103 runs together. Tayyab struck 12 boundaries and two sixes while Rizwan smashed 76 runs off 37 balls laced with seven boundaries and as many sixes.
Qasim Akram contributed 46 runs off 50 balls with the help of three boundaries. Mohammad Imran and Zahid Mahmood bagged two wickets each for SP. Earlier, SP scored 320-9 with Waqar Hussain scoring the highest 70 runs off 64 balls with the help of six boundaries and a six. Sohaib Mqasood and Hussain Talat scored 60 runs each with an 89-run third-wicket partnership.
Ahmed Bashir and Raza Ali Dar bagged three wickets each for CP.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) beat Northern after chasing 113 runs in 23.1 overs. While batting first, Northern were bowled out for 112 runs. Faizan Riaz was the highest scorer for them with 42 runs.
Iftikhar Ahmed bagged three wickets while Irfanullah Shah and Asif Afridi bagged two wickets each.
In reply, KPK lost early wickets but Sajid Khan, in the end, scored 20 crucial runs to beat Northern by four wickets. Musaddiq Ahmed scored 15. Mubasir Khan bagged three wickets while Salman Irshad, Mohammad Nawaz, and Faizan Riaz took a wicket each. Meanwhile, Balochistan won their second match after defeating Sindh by three wickets. Balochistan chased 240 runs in 46.3 with three wickets in hand. Ayaz Tasawar scored 69 runs off 107 balls with the help of eight boundaries.
Imran Farhat made 59 runs off 65 balls while Kashif Bhatti made 40 off 43 with the help of five boundaries and a six. Mohammad Hasnain took three while Mohammad Umair bagged two wickets. Sent into bat first, Sindh managed to score 239 runs for the loss of nine wickets. Hassan Khan scored 54 runs while Danish Aziz made 52 runs.
Amad Butt bagged five wickets for Balochistan.
