Inspired Northern upset fancied Southern Punjab to win National T20 2nd XI tournament

Karachi:Northern ended the remarkable unbeaten run of Southern Punjab in the National T20 2^nd XI tournament with a comfortable 40-run win in the tournament final played at the National Stadium, Karachi on Thursday.

Southern Punjab who had remained undefeated in the tournament by winning each of their five round matches besides overcoming Central Punjab in the semi-final capitulated under pressure in the final against an inspired Northern side that produced a memorable all-round performance to lift the trophy.

Batting first after being sent in, Northern posted a mammoth 196 for seven in their 20 overs. Shoaib Ahmed Minhas held the innings together with a 45-ball 68 which included four fours and three sixes. Man-of-the-Match Jamal Anwar hit a quickfire 40 off 21 balls to ensure Northern’s huge total. Opener Zeeshan Malik made 34 off 19 balls; at the end of the innings, semi-final hero Shahzad Azam scored an unbeaten 22 off nine balls (two fours and two sixes). Zulfiqar Babar took three wickets for 28 runs in his four overs. 

Southern Punjab lost their way in the chase after an 85-run opening stand between Zeeshan Ashraf (61 off 26 balls, three sixes and eight fours) and Mukhtar Ahmed (22 off 25 balls, two fours). Leg-spinner Osama Mir took three while Nauman Ali and Salman Irshad two wickets each to derail the Southern Punjab batting line-up.

Southern Punjab crashed from 85 without loss to 156 all out in 17.5 overs as Northern celebrated an unlikely win.

Scores in brief:

Final Southern Punjab v Northern, National Stadium, Karachi

Northern 196 for 7, 20 overs (Shoaib Ahmed Minhas 68, Jamal Anwar 40, Zeeshan Malik 34; Zulfiqar Babar 3-28)

Southern Punjab 156 all out in 17.5 (Zeeshan Ashraf 61, Maqbool Ahmed 26; Osama Mir 3-28, Salman Irshad 2-13)

Man-of-the-Match Jamal Anwar

Player-of-the-Tournament Nauman Ali (160 runs and 10 wickets)

Best-Batsman-of-the-Tournament Zeeshan Ashraf (395 runs)

Best-Bowler-of-the-Tournament Raza Ali Dar and Muhammad Imran (13 wickets each)

Best-Wicketkeeper-of-the-Tournament Muhammad Ikhlaq and Maqbool Ahmed (7 victims each)