Balochistan To Meet Northern In Final Of National T20 Cup On Oct 24

FAISALABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Oct, 2019 ) :Balochistan who defeated Southern Punjab by 3 wickets will meet Northern in the final of National T20 Cup at Faisalabad's Iqbal Stadium on October 24.

In the second semi-final, blistering 29 on 14 balls by Amad Butt and 42 on 29 balls by Hussain Talat helped Balochistan to chase down the target.

Put into bat by Haris Sohail, Southern Punjab openers Umar Siddiq and Shan Masood could not stay at the wicket for long and were dismissed on 6 and 10 respectively. But a 72 run partnership between Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik guided Southern Punjab to 173-5 in 20 overs. Mohammad Hafeez blasted 65 runs on 41 balls with 9 fours and one sixes while Shoaib Malik smashed 64 on 40 balls hitting 6 fours and 2 sixes. Amir Yamin was dismissed on 13 while Wahab Riaz and Saif Badar remained not out without scoring any run.

Ali Shafiq picked up 2 wickets while Akif Javed, Yasir Shah and Hussain Talat took one wicket each.

Set 174 to win, Balochistan chased down the target with Amad Butt hitting six on the last ball of the match. Opener Imam-ul-Haq and Bismillah Khan went early and Balochistan lost 2 wickets for 22 runs. Awais Zia and Imran Farhat put up some resistance and took the score to 77. Imran Farhat made 20 with 3 fours while Awais Zia scored 31 on 26 balls with 3 fours and one six. Hussain Talat and Haris Sohail kept the run chase on track and took the score to 131-5 in 16.2 overs when Haris was dismissed on 22.

Hussain Talat socred 42 on 29 balls hitting 7 fours while Amad Butt smashed unbeaten 29 on 14 balls with the help of 3 fours and 2 sixes and took his side to the final.

Wahab Riaz picked up 2 wickets while Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Irfan Sr, Aamir Yamin, and Zahid Mahmood took one wicket each.

Amad Butt was declared man-of-the-match Scores in brief: Southern Punjab 173-5, 20 overs (Mohammad Hafeez 65, Shoaib Malik 64; Ali Shafiq 2-31, Hussain Talt 1-15).

Balochistan 178-7, 20 overs (Hussain Talat 42, Awais Zia 31, Amad Butt 29; Wahab Riaz 2-36, Mohammad Irfan Sr 1-21).

Earlier in the first semi-final, Northern defeated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 3 runs and secured a place in the final.

Put into bat, Northern opener Umer Amin remained top scorer with 43 of 33 balls hitting 4 fours and one six. Among other batsmen, Asif Ali made (28) , Rohail Nazir (21), Ali Imran 8, Mohammad Nawaz 12, Imad Wasim 9, Shadab Khan 16, and Sohail Tanvir 1. Mohammad Amir ramined not out on 2 while Sohail Akhtar failed to open his account. For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Usman Khan Shanwari ended up excellent analysis with 5-13, Imran Khan Jr grabbed 2 wickets while Junaid Khan and Musaddiq Ahmed took one wicket each.

In reply, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could score 145 runs for 8 wickets in 20 overs. Opener Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed without scoring any run while Mohammad Rizwan could score only 15 runs before he was dismissed. Fakher Zaman and Iftikhar Ahmed put up some resistence and took the score to 89. Fakher made 39 runs on 31 balls with 4 boundaries. Khushdil Shah made 22 while Iftikhar Ahmed scored 53 runs with 6 fours before he was dismissed. Haris Rauf was pick of the bowlers with 3 for 26 while Sohail Tanvir took 2 and Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir one wicket each.

Harris Rauf was declared man-of-the-match.

Scores in brief: Northern 148-9, 20 overs (Umer Amin 43, Asif Ali 28; Usman Shinwari 5-13, Imran Khan Jr 2-31).

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 145-8, 20 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 53, Fakhar Zaman 39; Haris Rauf 3-26, Sohail Tanvir 2-24).