Tanvir, Zia shine in victory over Afghanistan

Rawalpindi-Faisalabad register eight-wicket win.

KARACHI: Afghanistan suffered their second successive loss when they were overwhelmed by the Rawalpindi-Faisalabad Region XI by eight wickets in their third 50-over match played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore yesterday.

The tourists, who are on a month-long training tour of Pakistan, struggled with their batting once again after being asked to bat first by the local side.

Afghanistan had hardly any means of surviving the regional side’s bowling attack, spearheaded by left-arm pacers Sohail Tanvir and Samiullah Niazi.

Leading the local side, Tanvir made fruitful use of his experience and finished as the top wicket-taking bowler as the tourists were dismissed for just 166 in 49.1 overs. The skipper ended with figures of three for 30.

Niazi also gave an impressive performance, claiming two wickets after conceding 27 runs while Hammad Azam, Usman Qadir, Asad Ali and Zohaib Ahmed took one wicket each.



Meanwhile, Awais Zia made a quickfire 75 to help the regional team reach the target with ease in just 31 overs after losing only two wickets. Zia’s knock included ten boundaries besides three sixes and helped him earn the player-of-the-match award.

Babar Azam was the other batsman to reach a half-century, smashing 64 aided with ten boundaries. Umer Waheed remained undefeated on 12.

Rehmat Shah (1 for 28) and Mohammad Nasim (1 for 45) were the wicket-takers from the visiting team.

The Afghan team will now play their next one-day match against Pakistan A team today at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The Afghan side had secured a nine-wicket victory in their opening match against Shahid Afridi-led Karachi-Hyderabad regional but went down to the Multan-Bahawalpur side that recorded a three-wicket win over the tourists.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2013.