-Shoaib Malik becomes Man of the Match smashing 56 off 22 balls
-Fakhar Zaman made 40-ball 67 which included three sixes and seven fours
-Fakhar Zaman is now the top-scorer of the tournament, surpassing Khurram Manzoor of Sindh. KP scored 88 runs in the last five overs
-Rizwan bagged the best wicket-keeper of the tournament award as he scored 389 runs and took eight dismissals behind the stumps
Bureau Report
Rawalpindi: Mohammad Rizwan led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has defeated Southern Punjab by 10 runs and lifted the National T20 Cup 2020 title at Pindi Cricket Stadium. Put in to bat first, KP posted a mammoth 206/4 in 20 overs courtesy Shoaib Malik’s powerful cameo and Fakhar Zaman’s sensible innings at the top.
Fakhar and skipper Mohammad Rizwan 76 runs for the opening stand. Rizwan struggled to accelerate and departed after scoring 25 off 29 balls.
Fakhar then partnered with Mohammad Hafeez and posted 47-runs for the second wicket. SP tried to settle the things as they removed Fakhar and Iftikhar Ahmed (1) in quick succession.
Fakhar made 40-ball 67 which included three sixes and seven fours. He claimed the best batsman of the tournament award as he made 420 runs at an average of 38. In the last five overs, KP smashed 88 runs due to Malik’s unbeaten knock of 56. He struck three fours and four massive sixes in his 22-ball innings. Hafeez was the third recognizable scorer of KP’s inning, scoring 38 off 26 balls. For SP, Aamir Yamin, Zahid Mehmood, and Mohammad Imran bagged a wicket each.
Set to chase 207, SP lost skipper Shan Masood and Sohaib Maqsood as they were removed by highly-impressive Shaheen Shah. In the last over of the powerplay, Wahab Riaz dismissed Zeeshan Ashraf (16). Hussain Talat and Khushdil Shah gave a slight hope to SP as they registered a 74-run stand for the fourth wicket. Khushdil departed after scoring 34 off 24 balls which included three sixes and two fours. Hussain (63) posted his third fifty of the competition. He struck three sixes and six fours in his 33 balls innings. In the end, Mohammad Imran tried to push the scoreboard but it was too late for Southern Punjab as they lost by 10 runs. Imran made 13-ball 38. Malik was rewarded player of the match for his match-changing knock.
With this win, KP bagged the title and prize bag of Rs 5 million with the trophy. Runners-up Southern Punjab pursed prize money of Rs 2.5 million.
For KP, Shaheen and Wahab Riaz bagged three wickets while Usman Shinwari and Asif Afridi claimed a wicket each.
Fakhar Zaman named the best player of the tournament while KP’s Shaheen Shah Afridi with 20 wickets claimed the best bowler award. Rizwan bagged the best wicket-keeper of the tournament award as he scored 389 runs and took eight dismissals behind the stumps. Shoaib Malik’s unbeaten knock and Fakhar Zaman’s sensible innings at the top have guided Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to 206/4 in 20 overs against Southern Punjab in the final of the National T20 Cup. Malik smashed 56 off 22 balls, powered by three fours and four massive sixes. Fakhar made 40-ball 67 which included three sixes and seven fours.
He is now the top-scorer of the tournament, surpassing Khurram Manzoor of Sindh. KP scored 88 runs in the last five overs.
