Haier Super8 T20 Cup: Misbah’s terrific all-round performance guides Wolves to seven-wicket win

Multan Tigers were unable to chase a target of 184 runs in a rain-shortened match.

KARACHI: Skipper Misbahul Haq led from the front in an inspiring all-round show to help defending champions Faisalabad Wolves register a comfortable seven-run win over Multan Tigers in their first match of the Haier Super8 T20 Cup at the Iqbal Ground in Faisalabad on Tuesday.

Heavy showers had disrupted the match in the 17th over of the second innings, awarding the Wolves victory through the D/L method.

Electing to bat first, Wolves posted a strong total of 183-6 in their allotted 20 overs as Misbah took advantage of the home conditions to smash a 27-ball 67, studded with five fours and five sixes and contributed significantly in fielding by taking four safe catches to curtail the Tigers in the second-innings.

Wolves openers also contributed significantly as Bilal Shah scored 32 runs off 12 balls, smashing four boundaries and two sixes with Farrukh Shahzad on the other end, who scored 25 runs off 36 balls with two fours, while Khurram Shahzad and Muhammad Salman scored 29 and 14 runs respectively.

For Tigers, Majid Ali took two wickets, giving away 38 runs in his four overs, while Aamer Yamin, Muhammad Ali and Naved Yasin took one wicket each.

Chasing 184, Tigers were bundled out for 139-6 in 16.3 overs as Muhammad Talha took three wickets and conceded only 23 runs in his three overs with the help of two catches by skipper Misbah, while Asad Ali and Saeed Ajmal bagged one wicket each.

Naved Yasin was the lone warrior for Tigers, scoring an unbeaten 69 runs off 31 balls, which included two boundaries and seven sixes but his efforts went in vain when heavy showers shortened the match.

Other than Yasin, only Aftab Niazi (25), Ahmed Rasheed (15) and Ammar Ali (14) managed to reach double figures.

Faisalabad chief Hamid Mansoor was ecstatic about the performance and hailed Misbah for his all-round contribution.

“This team has something to cheer about,” Mansoor told The Express Tribune. “Misbah showed top form by performing with the bat and in the field and our balanced side showed an excellent performance in the opening match.”

Meanwhile, man of the match Misbah hailed his team’s performance and insisted that they would try their best to defend the title, while losing captain Gulraiz Sadaf rued his side’s missed chances which led to the loss.

“We did not perform well and the weather also went against us, otherwise we had a chance to win with Yasin on the crease,” said Sadaf.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th,  2015.

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