President’s Cup Gold League: SBP crowned champions with a narrow two-wicket win over NBP

State Bank chase down 280 with only one ball to spare in thrilling final.

KARACHI: SBP were crowned champions of the President’s Cup Gold League as they narrowly defeated NBP by two wickets with only one ball to spare in a thrilling final at the National Stadium of Karachi yesterday.

Put in to bat, NBP posted 279 in their allotted 50 overs with Muhammad Nawaz scoring 93 runs off just 67 balls. Nawaz was well-partnered by Qaiser Abbas, who made 46, as the pair added 139 together. However, there was little else to write home about as no other player crossed 40.

NBP’s Sami Aslam lost his wicket in the 11th over, dismissed on 16 by SBP skipper Muhammad Naved. Nasir Jamshed also lost his wicket soon after, caught and bowled by Aamer Yamin in the 20th over.

Kamran Akmal was sent packing on 34 by Kashif Bhatti. Rizwan Haider then took two wickets in his two overs as he bowled Fawad Alam on 20 and trapped Umar Waheed in front of the stumps on 13 to ensure that no late onslaught was forthcoming.

Chasing 280, SBP started off well and scored quickly in the first 20 overs, despite losing openers Farrukh Shahzad (26 off 27) in the eight over and Babar Azam (37 off 37) in the 15th.

Mukhtar Ahmed, who finished as the highest scorer for SBP with 60 off 76 balls, built a 100-run fourth-wicket partnership with Naved Yasin (42). The partnership came to an end with Yasin’s wicket in the 40th over and SBP lost Ahmed in the next over to set up a nervy finale.

Haider was dismissed in the over after that to give NBP the upper hand but Usman Salahuddin and Yamin put on a quick 53-run stand to bring SBP close to victory. But once again they lost wickets in quick succession — literally on the same ball — as Ziaul Haq dismissed Salahuddin on 20 before running out Yamin for 33 as he sneaked out of his crease before the next ball was bowled.

However, SBP were almost there and Kashif Bhatti’s boundary was the winning shot when SBP required one run off the final two balls.

The winning captain, Naved, told The Express Tribune that winning the toss helped win the match. “We won the toss, which was really helpful as bowling first on moist pitches always favours the bowlers,” he said. “The bowlers were also well supported by the fielders.”

Meanwhile, losing skipper Akmal was happy with the way the younger players in his side performed. “This tournament resulted in good experience and exposure for upcoming players such as Asghar and Nawaz, which is good for the players and Pakistan,” he said. “Our players did all they could to win the game but SBP’s hard work helped them win.”

SBP were awarded a cash prize of Rs1 million, while NBP received Rs500,000. The final’s man-of-the-match Nawaz, and the tournament’s best batsmen Azam, best bowler Sadaf Hussain and best all-rounder Aslam received Rs50,000 each.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd,  2015.

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