National T20 Cup: Defending champs Peshawar make it three in three
Claim a three-wicket win over Lahore Whites in a nail-biter of a finish
Despite a lack of international stars in their side, Peshawar have impressed with a perfect record in the tournament so far. PHOTO: INP
KARACHI:
A half-century by man of the match Iftikhar Ahmed led defending champions Peshawar to their third consecutive victory as they defeated Lahore Whites by three wickets in a nail-biting encounter in Group B of the National T20 Cup 2015-16 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Chasing 166, Peshawar lost two early wickets but recovered well with Ahmed scoring 59 off 39 balls. Pakistan international Mohammad Irfan then came back to devastating effect and sucked the momentum out of the chase; finishing with figures of 4-16 in four overs.
However, an unbeaten Adil Amin, who scored 38 off 32 balls, continued the momentum after a couple of quick wickets fell and was on hand to smash the ball over the boundary when five were needed off two balls.
Lahore Whites, opting to bat first, made 165 courtesy of half-centuries from Ahmed Shehzad and Hussain Talat as Imran Khan Jr claimed 2-25 in four overs.
“I am happy that I helped the team win, I tried to stay on the crease as we were losing wickets,” said Ahmed after the match. “Amin did really well in the end and helped the team win.”
In the other match in Pindi, a 106-run third-wicket stand between Khurram Shehzad (59) and Asif Ali (45) was the saviour for Faisalabad in a narrow two-wicket win over Abbottabad.
Opting to bat first, Abbottabad reached 178 thanks to half-centuries from Yasir Hameed (59) and Sajjad Ali (56) but would have been disappointed to not make more. Ehsan Adil impressed for Faisalabad with 3-33, but off-spinner Saeed Ajmal struggled once again with figures of 1-39.
Chasing 179, Faisalabad lost both their openers in the first over but reached the target with two wickets and three balls to spare largely to the century stand and some late fireworks by Adil, who made 14 off three balls.
Meanwhile, at Islamabad’s Diamond Ground, Multan defeated Bahawalpur by 33 runs with the help of an unbeaten half-century by Zain Abbas.
Put in to bat first, Multan made 169-3 as Abbas played a solid 57-run knock off 47 balls.
Chasing 170, Bahawalpur were restricted to 136-4 in their 20 overs as the Multan bowlers bowled some tight line and lengths.
In the other match at the same ground, a four-wicket haul by Mir Hamza guided Karachi Whites to a 60-run win over Hyderabad, their first of the tournament.
The Karachi side made a daunting 173-7 as skipper Faisal Iqbal scored 60 off 43 balls before Hyderabad were dismissed for just 113 in 15 overs as the 23-year old Hamza took 4-28.
“I just bowled the way I do and tried to stop the runs,” Hamza told The Express Tribune. “Wickets come when the batsmen make mistakes and the bowler takes full advantage of it.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 12th, 2015.
A half-century by man of the match Iftikhar Ahmed led defending champions Peshawar to their third consecutive victory as they defeated Lahore Whites by three wickets in a nail-biting encounter in Group B of the National T20 Cup 2015-16 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Chasing 166, Peshawar lost two early wickets but recovered well with Ahmed scoring 59 off 39 balls. Pakistan international Mohammad Irfan then came back to devastating effect and sucked the momentum out of the chase; finishing with figures of 4-16 in four overs.
However, an unbeaten Adil Amin, who scored 38 off 32 balls, continued the momentum after a couple of quick wickets fell and was on hand to smash the ball over the boundary when five were needed off two balls.
Lahore Whites, opting to bat first, made 165 courtesy of half-centuries from Ahmed Shehzad and Hussain Talat as Imran Khan Jr claimed 2-25 in four overs.
“I am happy that I helped the team win, I tried to stay on the crease as we were losing wickets,” said Ahmed after the match. “Amin did really well in the end and helped the team win.”
In the other match in Pindi, a 106-run third-wicket stand between Khurram Shehzad (59) and Asif Ali (45) was the saviour for Faisalabad in a narrow two-wicket win over Abbottabad.
Opting to bat first, Abbottabad reached 178 thanks to half-centuries from Yasir Hameed (59) and Sajjad Ali (56) but would have been disappointed to not make more. Ehsan Adil impressed for Faisalabad with 3-33, but off-spinner Saeed Ajmal struggled once again with figures of 1-39.
Chasing 179, Faisalabad lost both their openers in the first over but reached the target with two wickets and three balls to spare largely to the century stand and some late fireworks by Adil, who made 14 off three balls.
Meanwhile, at Islamabad’s Diamond Ground, Multan defeated Bahawalpur by 33 runs with the help of an unbeaten half-century by Zain Abbas.
Put in to bat first, Multan made 169-3 as Abbas played a solid 57-run knock off 47 balls.
Chasing 170, Bahawalpur were restricted to 136-4 in their 20 overs as the Multan bowlers bowled some tight line and lengths.
In the other match at the same ground, a four-wicket haul by Mir Hamza guided Karachi Whites to a 60-run win over Hyderabad, their first of the tournament.
The Karachi side made a daunting 173-7 as skipper Faisal Iqbal scored 60 off 43 balls before Hyderabad were dismissed for just 113 in 15 overs as the 23-year old Hamza took 4-28.
“I just bowled the way I do and tried to stop the runs,” Hamza told The Express Tribune. “Wickets come when the batsmen make mistakes and the bowler takes full advantage of it.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 12th, 2015.