Riazullah Khan helps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Whites clinch National U16 Cup title

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa U16 Whites beat Southern Punjab U16 Blues by 106 runs to clinch the title of National U16 Cup at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Monday. The victory bagged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa U16 Whites PKR350,000 along with the glittering trophy.

This was Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s fifth title in the 2021-22 cricket season. KP sides won the National T20, National U19 Cup, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and National U13 Cup before adding the National U16 trophy.

Batting first, Riazullah Khan scored his fourth half-century of the tournament to help Khyber Pakhtunkhwa post 255 for nine in 45 overs. He also scored a century in the tournament.

Player of the match Riazullah scored 75-ball 78 with 13 fours and one six. He finished the tournament with 419 runs at a staggering average of 83 and was also awarded with best batter of the tournament.

He stroked a crucial 128-run second wicket partnership with Afkar Durrani after Roman Alam Khan, was dismissed for four with only six runs on the board.

Afkar scored 49 and hit four fours and one six from his 79-ball stay at the crease. Captain Mohammad Zubair scored 47-ball 40, hitting four fours.

Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Ansarullah made a quickfire unbeaten contribution of 28 runs from 15 balls and smashed one four and two sixes.

Southern Punjab’s Inamullah and Sameer Akhtar bagged three wickets each. Salman Ahmed grabbed two wickets for 31 in eight overs.

In return, Southern Punjab U16 Blues were dismissed for 149 in the 39^th over. Opening batter Adeel Mushtaq top-scored with a 72-ball 50. His innings included five fours and one six. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mohammad Haroon picked four wickets for 38 and was named best bowler of the tournament taking 17 wickets.

Huzaifa Khan took two wickets for 18 from six overs.

Central Punjab U16 Whites Tayyab Arif was named Player of the Tournament as the right-handed batter scored 414 runs at an average of 82.80 and took six wickets.

Northern U16 Blues Hassan Ijaz received the best wicketkeeper award as he took 10 catches behind the stumps.

All best performers in the tournament were awarded PKR30,000 each.

Scores in brief:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa U16 Whites beat Southern Punjab U16 Blues by 106 runs

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa U16 Whites 255-9, 45 overs (Riazullah 78, Afkar Durrani 49; Sameer Akhtar 3-42, Inamullah 3-65, Salman Ahmed 2-31)

Southern Punjab U16 Blues 149 all out, 38.3 overs (Rana Adeel Mushtaq 50; Zain Arshad 37; Mohammad Haroon 4-38; Huzaifa Khan 2-18)

Player of the match – Riazullah Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa U16 Whites)

Player of the tournament – Tayyab Arif (Central Punjab U16 Whites) 414 runs and six wickets

Best Batter of the tournament – Riazullah Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa U16 Whites) 419 runs

Best Bowler of the tournament – Mohammad Haroon (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa U16 Whites) 17 wickets

Best Wicketkeeper of the tournament – Hassan Ijaz (Northern U16 Blues) 10 catches