Karachi: Sindh and Northern recorded thrilling wins while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa registered a resounding victory over Balochistan in the third round of the Pakistan Cup One-Day Tournament 2020-21 for Second XIs played on Sunday at three Karachi venues.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa vs Balochistan, KCCA Stadium, Karachi:
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded a 126-run win over Balochistan. Batting first, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa scored 262 for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 50 overs.
Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 53 off 88 balls (four fours, one six). Mehran Ibrahim contributed 50 off 59 balls (four fours). Ashfaq Ahmed scored 49 runs. Zainullah took three wickets for 55 runs.
In reply, Balochistan were rolled over for 136 runs in 34.5 overs. Abdul Rehman Muzamil top-scored with 53 runs off 81 balls (three fours, one six). No other batsman offered any sustained resistance against the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bowling attack. Maaz Sadaqat took three wickets for 21 runs while Asad Afridi took two for eight in 2.5 overs.
Northern vs Southern Punjab, TMC Ground, Karachi:
Southern Punjab were bowled out for 203 in 45 overs after being put to bat. Opener Mukhtar Ahmed top-scored with 99 runs (11 fours, one six). Waqar Hussain scored 55 runs, however the rest of the batting line-up failed to get going. Pacer Aamer Jamal with five wickets for 37 runs was the pick of the Northern bowlers. Aamer’s new ball partner Salman Irshad took two wickets.
Northern registered a thrilling one-wicket win as they overhauled the target in 49.2 overs. Umar Waheed top-scored with 72 off 77 balls (four fours, one six). Shoaib Ahmed contributed 30 runs. Mohammad Junaid took three while Ahsan Baig took two wickets.
Sindh vs Central Punjab, NBP Sports Complex, Karachi:
Central Punjab won the toss and asked Sindh to bat first. Sindh posted 220 for eight in their allotted 50 overs. Middle-order batsman Rameez Aziz top-scored with an unbeaten 74 off 91 balls (five fours). Opener Jahanzaib Sultan contributed 35 runs. Off-spinner Haseeb-ur-Rehman Jr took three wickets for 34 runs while Raza Ali Dar took two wickets for 31 runs.
Central Punjab were bowled out for 218 runs in 49.4 overs to hand a thrilling two-run win to Sindh. Raza Al Dar scored 79 off 101 balls (three fours, three sixes) while Sohaib Ullah scored an unbeaten 30 off 31 balls but failed to take his side across the line as the last wicket fell with two balls to spare and Central Punjab three runs short of victory.
For Sindh, Saad Khan and Ammad Alam took two wickets apiece.
Scores in brief:
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa vs Balochistan, KCCA Stadium, Karachi:
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 262-7, 50 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 53, Mehran Ibrahim 50, Ashfaq Ahmed 49; Zainullah 3-55)
Balochistan 136 all out, 34.5 overs (Abdul Rehman Muzamil 53; Maaz Sadaqat 3-21, Asad Afridi 2-8)
Result: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa won by 126 runs
Northern vs Southern Punjab, TMC Ground, Karachi:
Southern Punjab 203 all out, 45 overs (Mukhtar Ahmed 99, Waqar Hussain 55; Aamer Jamal 5-37, Salman Irshad 2-26)
Northern 206-9, 49.2 overs (Umar Waheed 72, Shoaib Ahmed 30; Mohammad Junaid 3-45, Ahsan Baig 2-61)
Result: Northern won by one wicket
Sindh vs Central Punjab, NBP Sports Complex, Karachi:
Sindh 220-8, 50 overs (Rameez Aziz 74 not out, Jahanzaib Sultan 35; Haseeb-ur-Rehman Jr 3-34, Raza Ali Dar 2-31)
Central Punjab 218 all out, 49.4 overs (Raza Ali Dar 79, Sohaib Ullah 30 not out; Saad Khan 2-19, Ammad Alam 2-36)
Result: Sindh won by two runs