SNGPL demolish Port Qasim at Ramazan T20

Increase chance of semi-final berth with seven-wicket win.

KARACHI:

SNGPL improved their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals of the Ramazan T20 Cup after defeating Port Qasim Authority (PQA) by seven wickets in the teams’ Group B encounter at the National Stadium, Karachi.

While PQA ended with six points in four matches, SNGPL now have three in as many games.

Batting first, PQA were bundled out for 72 in 19.5 overs with their failure to tackle spin clearly evident in their strokeplay. Leg-spinner Yasir Shah took advantage of their weakness, claiming three wickets. Pacemen Samiullah Khan and Bilawal Bhatti finished with two wickets apiece.

PQA were in tatters after being reduced to 29 for six but wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Salman contributed a crucial 24 runs to save them from colossal damage.

In reply, SNGPL were home in the 15th over for the loss of three wickets with opener Taufeeq Umar’s unbeaten 45 off 44 helping the run-chase.

Meanwhile, one of the SNGPL players lamented the lack of star players.



“We’re focused to win this event even without our star players,” one of the SNGPL players told The Express Tribune. “SNGPL won the departmental four-day and one-day tournaments but then we had Misbahul Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal in our side then. But it will be nice to win without them as well. This is our real test to rise to the occasion in absence of big names.”

He added that the team management has told them not to appear in any other Ramazan tournament in order to maintain fitness.

“Our focus is on this departmental tournament as it would be nice to finish off this season in style,” he added.

On the other hand, PQA players admitted that their batsmen had played reckless shots.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2013.

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