Pakistan Cup final: Young Balochistan take on star-studded Federal

Well-balanced encounter ready to entertain crowd in Rawalpindi Stadium on Saturday

ISLAMABAD: The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday will have the honour of hosting a mouth-watering encounter when a team of newbies, Balochistan, take on a team of veterans, Federal Areas, in the final of the ongoing Pakistan Cup.

When the last time the two finalists met, records were made and broken within a span of two innings as the Fakhar Zaman-led Balochistan, after opting to bat first, piled up the highest total of the tournament: 375-7, courtesy the captain’s 104-run knock off just 81 balls and two half-centuries from Sahibzada Farhan and Agha Salman.

While the target would have been daunting for anyone, especially given the fact that Balochistan were unbeaten in the first three matches of the five-team tournament, Federal Areas opener Sami Aslam was unperturbed.

He smashed a scintillating 169 off 126 balls — the highest individual score in the tournament — to guide his side to a famous win and also set a record for the highest total chased by a team at the domestic 50-over tournament.

The win strengthened Federal’s bid for the final but they were also given a favour by Sindh because if they had won their match against Punjab, it would have been them lining up against Balochistan.

But as fate would have it, it was Punjab who overcame Sindh and allowed Federal to make their way through to the final.

 

Strengths and weaknesses

Balochistan: From the word go, Balochistan have been given the momentum by individual performances in the Pakistan Cup. In their first two matches, all-rounder Aamer Yamin took a five-for and a brace against Punjab and Sindh respectively, while scoring unbeaten fifties in both matches.

In their next match, rain came to their rescue as they beat the Mohammad Rizwan-led Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by four runs on the DLS method courtesy captain Zaman’s impressive 73 off 69 together with Farhan and Sohaib Maqsood’s fifties.

The team looks perfectly balanced in all departments before the final but there is only one weakness that Federal will be looking to exploit. Balochistan’s over-reliance on Yamin can cost them if they are defending a total. If Federal can neutralise the highest wicket-taker of the tournament, then Zaman’s side lacks the firepower to defend targets.

Federal: Despite boasting big names on paper, Imad Wasim’s side had to rely on Punjab to beat Sindh to enter the final of the tournament against Balochistan. The presence of young players and veterans — a combination which is supposed to work wonders — was not allowed to click for the Federal team courtesy bad weather.

They started off their campaign with a 25-run victory against KPK. In their next match, while chasing 285, Sindh had managed 157 in 26.2 overs when rain ruined the show and Anwar’s team won on DLS by 44 runs.

Their next match was altogether abandoned giving them only one point. Thus, with three points from three matches, they had to beat the unbeaten Balochistan, which they managed to do with ease.

Federal’s bowlers haven’t been able to display the firepower they boast in the bowling department with Sohail Khan leading their attack. Come the final, they will be expected to deliver in a tournament which has made scoring and chasing 300 a norm.

Squads

Balochistan: Fakhar Zaman (c), Aamer Yamin, Agha Salman, Azizullah, Bismillah Khan, Ghulam Mudassar, Hamal Wahab, Imam-ul-Haq, Khalid Usman, Rameez Aziz, Saad Ali, Sahibzada Farhan, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohail Tanvir, Taimur Khan, Usman Khan.

Federal areas: Imad Wasim (c), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Haris Sohail, Hasan Khan, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Irfan, Rohail Nazir. Sameen Gul, Sami Aslam, Sarmad Bhatti, Sohail Khan, Zohaib Ahmed.