Haier President’s Cup Silver League: Irfan’s brilliance guides WAPDA to title

Hawks dismissed for 117 as 17-year-old takes 4-12 in 10 overs.

KARACHI: Seventeen-year-old Muham-mad Irfan’s brilliance with the ball helped Wapda clinch the President’s Cup Silver League title as they won the final against Hyderabad Hawks by eight wickets in a one-sided affair at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday.

Hawks, who had won their previous encounter against Wapda in the triangular stage, were put in to bat and were dismissed for a mere 117 in 43.5 overs.

The Hawks batsmen were up against it right from the start as Zeeshan Gul was caught behind by Rafatullah Mohmand off Waqas Maqsood on a duck in only the second over. They then lost three wickets for just one run when Irfan’s wickets of Hawks skipper Azeem Ghumman and Faisal Athar sandwiched the run out of Muhammad Sadam to leave the Hyderabad side reeling at 4-25. Irfan also dismissed Shoaib Laghari to send back half of the Hawks line-up for just 31.

Irfan then came back on later to dismiss top scorer Muhammad Awais on 32 to finish with incredible figures of 4-12 in 10 overs with five maidens, at an economy rate of 1.2 and an average of three. The other Wapda bowlers also chipped in with wickets to set their side a simple 118-run target.`

In reply, Wapda’s openers were also quickly back in the pavilion as Mir Ali took a quick-fire double. First he dismissed Muhammad Fayyaz on 10 as the right-hander edged it through to the wicketkeeper and then caught Iftikhar Ahmed in front of the stumps on eight in his next over to leave Wapda 23-2.

However, there was little joy for the bowlers there on in as Ayaz Tasawwar and Aamer Sajjad put on an unbeaten 98-run partnership to end the match.

“The young and talented Irfan was put into the team in the final as a surprise package and took four wickets,” Wapda skipper Rana Navedul Hassan told The Express Tribune. “Other bowlers and fielders backed him and gave him confidence, which resulted in him bowling a tremendous spell.”

Hassan was also happy with the way his side replied back after suffering defeat against the same opponents. “Nothing else could have been a better answer for our first defeat against them,” he added. “We won the tournament in a fabulous manner. Credit goes to all team members, including the management.”

Meanwhile, losing captain Ghumman was left disappointed with his team’s performance in the final. “We should have performed in the final as we were just one step away from winning the title,” said Ghumman. “However the one who puts in more effort wins and Wapda deserved victory after their good performance throughout the tournament.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th,  2015.

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