Pentangular Cup: Bowlers help Fighters maintain perfect record

K-P side claims comfortable seven-wicket win after dismissing Balochistan for 136

KARACHI: Some superb bowling by left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar and fast-bowler Muhammad Sami helped Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Fighters record a comfortable seven-wicket win over Balochistan Warriors to win their third consecutive match of the Haier Pentangular Cup at the National Stadium of Karachi on Saturday.

Batting first, Warriors were dismissed for just 136 in 42.2 overs as Gohar took four wickets and Sami dismissed three main batsmen, giving away just 37 and 14 runs respectively.

Sami first claimed the early wicket of Sami Aslam, dismissed for just seven, with the third delivery of his first over. Gohar then took the wicket of Ali Asad for one in the next over.

Sami then dismissed Usman Salahuddin, highest scorer of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Silver, for just three.

Gohar’s other three wickets came against lower-order batsmen and Sami came back towards the end to finish Warriors’ innings by claiming the final wicket of Ayaz Tasawwar for 44 as Tasawwar’s thick outside edge fell into the safe hands of Muhammad Rizwan. Junaid Khan, Taj Wali and Yasir Shah also took a wicket each.

Chasing 137, Fighters lost the early wicket of Naeemuddin in the sixth over. Adil then dismissed Muhammad Rizwan for four in his next over. However, even the early blip did not prove too much of a concern, even when Azhar Ali dismissed Israrullah for 27.

Shoaib Malik helped himself to yet another half-century, scoring 68 off 88 balls, with Adil Amin scoring 27 off 45 balls to ensure that Fighters remain top of the table and maintained their perfect record with three wins in three matches.

Yasir Shah wants Warne’s advice

Fighters’ leg-spinner Shah, who impressed for Pakistan in the recent Test series against Australia and New Zealand, says that he will get tips from his idol, Shane Warne, if he gets selected for the World Cup.

“I am giving my best in this Cup so that I can be part of the 15-member team, and if I get selected, I will receive some training from Warne before the World Cup,” said Shah during a press conference at the National Stadium of Karachi.

Shah added that he started playing cricket because he idolised Warne, adding that the Australian has been his role model and he is keeping his fingers crossed so that he can make it to the World Cup squad.

“I have not played on Australian pitches before, but I have heard from my seniors that they have extra bounce in them,” said Shah. “I am working on this with Saqlain Mushtaq and Abdul Qadir and have watched how the legendary Warne used to bowl on Australian pitches.”

Shah added that he is also working hard on disguising his googly in order to make it more effective before the big tournament.

He also said that he takes tips from everyone but only works on those which suit him and his team, while he is also working on improving his batting.

 

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