Young guns fire Multan to win in opening T20 match

Ali hits whirlwind century, Mahmood takes five wickets in T20 cup.

KARACHI:

Young guns Asif Ali and Hasan Mahmood combined to demolish Multan Tigers in the first match of the Faysal Bank Super Eight T20 Cup as hosts Faisalabad Wolves registered a 69-run win.

Ali, a 19-year-old batsman who has played just three first-class and five List A matches, struck a whirlwind 100 off just 59 balls to spearhead Faisalabad to a competitive 199 for three before Mahmood claimed five for 23 to dismiss Multan for a paltry 130.

Ali, who arrived at the crease after opener Mohammad Hafeez was dismissed off the first ball, added 125 with Asif Hussain (50). Zulfiqar Babar provided the breakthrough in the 14th over but Ali continued with the onslaught putting on 52 with his captain Misbahul Haq. He was eventually dismissed after completing his hundred but by then the damage was done.

Misbah remained not out on 32 off 21 deliveries and Faisalabad went to the interval knowing they were on top.

That quickly proved the case when Faisalabad’s Naseer Akram provided two wickets within the sixth over as Multan were put on the back foot.

Mohammad Hafeez made up for his batting failure by grabbing two for 20 but it was the 20-year-old Mahmood who completed Multan’s misery.

The left-arm spinner excelled on the slow Faisalabad pitch and proved unplayable as batsmen fell like ninepins. Multan lost their last five wickets for 26 runs with no batsman managing more than Zeeshan Ashraf’s 27.

Hyderabad Hawks play Islamabad Leopards while Lahore Lions face Sialkot Stallions in the two matches today.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2011.