Staff Report
KARACHI: It was one-way traffic in the afternoon at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Saturday.
In a lopsided National T20 Cup game, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa played like the champions they are. Southern Punjab had no chance to bounce back from the defeat against Sindh in their opening match the day before. They were comprehensively outplayed in all departments by the Mohammad Rizwan-led side, which cruised to the top of standings with a seven-wicket romp.
This wasn’t exactly the rematch of the 2020 final between these teams. Inserted into bat, Southern Punjab’s hopes were badly dented in the powerplay when ex-Test seamer Imran Khan sent back Zeeshan Ashraf and captain Sohaib Maqsood in space of three deliveries. And when Mohammad Wasim got rid of Zain Abbas, they further slipped to 34-3.
Used as a pinch-hitter, Mohammad Imran Randhawa underlined his potential as a decent all-round cricketer. The 24-year-old from Khanewal not only registered his maiden T20 half-century but ensured Southern Punjab at least post a total to challenge their rampant opponents.
Imran, who was the top-scorer with a fine 54 off 46 deliveries (seven fours and one six) and the Twety20 World Cup-bound Khushdil Shah resurrected the innings with a stand of 70. Curbing his natural instincts, Khushdil was watchful as the left-hander made a 17-ball 24. But once these two got out, Southern Punjab started to disintegrate at the death. Former Pakistan U-19 skipper Hassaan Khan, however, batted enterprisingly to crunch four boundaries in a 14-ball 25. Imran and the ever-present Shaheen Shah Afridi shared the spoils with the ball by sharing seven wickets between them. While Shaheen repeated his three-wicket act against Central Punjab on Thursday night with 3-34, the 34-year-old Imran ended with impressive analysis of 4-34.
Pace-bowling all-rounder Wasim, who is in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad, continued his progress by adding the wicket of Azam Khan — another member named for the global event — to finish with 2-32.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were dented upfront in their chase when Fakhar Zaman was trapped in front by teenaged seamer Naseem Shah for one. But thereafter, Rizwan and Sahibzada Farhan dominated the bowling to bring up the first 100-plus partnership of this edition, putting on 136 in 90 balls before both went in successive balls.
Farhan, who was the first to go, was in belligerent mood. The Pakistan reject slammed six fours and four sixes in making 73 from 49 deliveries until Naseem had him caught by Khushdil on the final ball of the 17th over.
Meanwhile, Balochistan have registered their first win of the ongoing National T20 Cup at Pindi Cricket Stadium.
The Imam-ul-Haq-led side defeated Southern Punjab by seven wickets, chasing a 102-run target in 17.2 overs.
The 18-year-old Abdul Wahid Bangalzai scored his first fifty of the T20 career. He remained unbeaten on 58 off 55 (five fours and a six). Wicketkeeper Bismillah Khan also played a good knock, scoring 28 off 29 balls.
Earlier, Amad Butt and Yasir Shah bagged three wickets each to bundle Southern Punjab out for 101 in 17.5 overs.
All-rounder Umaid Asif took two wickets while Kashif Bhatti and Khurram Shahzad claimed a wicket each.
Only three SP batters reached to double-figures. Zeeshan Ashraf scored 18 at the top while captain Sohaib Maqsood made 24. All-rounder scored 19.
