Faysal Bank T20 Cup: SNGPL looking to add to title haul

Will take on ZTBL in departmental T20 final today.

KARACHI: SNGPL, who are the defending champions in the one-day and four-day formats of Pakistan, will look to add another trophy to their cabinet as they go head-to-head with in-form ZTBL today in the final of the Faysal Bank Departmental T20 Tournament at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

SNGPL have been doing well in the absence of their star players like Mohammad Hafeez, Misbahul Haq, Umar Akmal and Bilawal Bhatti. However, they are likely to have all of them back for the all-important match.

On the other hand, ZTBL will be looking to continue their fine run in the event as they look to win their first major crown in recent years.

In their last-four match, ZTBL defeated UBL by 35 runs, courtesy a five-wicket haul from Junaid Zia.

Set a solid target of 178, UBL got off to a good start as they got an 81-run opening stand from Ahsaan Ali and Abid Ali (35). But as Ahsaan got out after making 43, laced with seven boundaries, UBL’s battling line crumbled and they only laboured to 143 for nine in their quota.



Zohaib Khan got two wickets to support Zia.

Earlier, ZTBL had amassed 178 for three in their 20 overs, with experienced batsman Yasir Hameed scoring a 46-ball 61 with three sixes and as many boundaries while Shahid Yousuf made 44 off 25.

Sharjeel Khan chipped in with 41 with three sixes and four boundaries.

Meanwhile, SNGPL reigned supreme in their semi-final clash with PIA, winning it by nine wickets.

Asked to bat first, PIA received a major blow when their in-form batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed, who is the leading run-scorer of the tournament, got out early with only one run to his name while his opening partner Kamran Sajid soon followed. Both were dismissed by seamer Imran Ali.

The two blows put PIA on the back foot and they failed to recover, managing a mere 107 for five.

Shoaib Malik top-scored with 42 off 43 which included four sixes, while Adeel Malik chipped in with an 18-run knock. Imran Khalid got two wickets while Yasir Shah chipped in with a scalp.

In reply, SNGPL easily chased down the target, making 108 for one in 16.5 overs.

Mohammad Rizwan remained unbeaten on a 54-ball 60 studded with two sixes and five boundaries while Ali Waqas made 28. Najaf Shah got the lone scalp.

‘Players question timing of team announcement’

Several players appearing in the competition have lamented the decision by the national selection committee for announcing the T20 squad for a match against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka before the completion of the local event.

“What’s the point of staging a T20 tournament when selectors announce the T20 squad before it has even concluded,” one of the players told The Express Tribune.

“They could have let the tournament end and see who the top performers were, because it could have given others some outside chance. It isn’t the right move to announce teams like this when an important tournament is going on.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2013.

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.