ISLAMABAD: Kamran Ghulam (81 not out) and Shahzaib Khan (75) powered Abbottabad Region to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Karachi Blues at the Imran Khan Stadium on Tuesday.
In what turned out to be a show of exceptional power hitting, both Kamran and Shahzaib took Abbottabad home, hitting a 202-run winning target with 20 balls to spare-
Both batsmen hit their respective second successive half-centuries of the tournament, with Kamran Ghulam yet to be dismissed. Kamran smashed 11 fours and two sixes in his 42-ball unbeaten knock, with Shahzaib hitting three sixes and 11 fours during his 38-ball exciting knock.
Khushdil Shah (38 not out) put icing on the cake with a quick-fire knock to wrap up Abbottabad’s second successive win. Earlier, Ahsan Ali (67) helped Karachi Blues score 201 for 4. Shadab Khan picked up 2 for 32 for Abbottabad.
Earlier, in the second game Tuesday, Lahore Whites beat Faisalabad by six wickets with two balls to spare, chasing down a 107-run target in a rain-curtailed 10-overs-a-side fixture. After opting to bat first in a delayed start, which at first reduced the game to 16-overs-a-side, Faisalabad were 42 for three in 4.1 overs when rain first interrupted play. After the resumption of play, the game was reduced to 13-overs-a-side.
A second stoppage came with the score at 105 for seven in 9.5 overs, at which point it further trimmed the match to 10 overs-a-side. Faisalabad finished on 106-7 in their allotted 10 overs, powered by No.8 batter Mubasir Khan’s brisk 26 off 10 balls, which included one four and three sixes. Opening batter Mohammad Faizan also provided some spark at the top with a 21 off 11 deliveries, striking one four and two sixes. For Lahore Whites, Ahmed Daniyal led the bowling charge with three for 17 in two overs, while Ubaid Shah chipped in with two for 25 in his three overs.
In reply, Lahore Whites’ openers Muhammad Akhlaq (48, 28b, 8x4s, 1x6) and Mohammad Faiq (32, 13b, 2x4s, 3x6s) all but sealed the contest with a 74-run opening stand in five overs.
Faiq also bagged 26 runs off the fifth over of the innings, bowled by Mohammad Zeeshan, smashing three sixes and two fours on the first five balls before falling on the last. Faisalabad tried to stage a comeback by taking three for 11 from 7.4 to 9.3 overs, which included a two-wicket over by Mubasir, but in vain as skipper Aamir Jamal hit the winning runs for his team.
Scores in brief:
Abbottabad Region beat Karachi Region Blues by eight wickets at Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar Karachi Blues 201-4, 20 overs (Ahsan Ali 67, Jahanzaib Sultan 42, Usman Khan 39, Mirza Saad Baig 26; Shadab Khan 2-32)
Abbottabad 203-2, 16.4 overs (Kamran Ghulam 81 not out, Shahzaib Khan 75, Khushdil Shah 38 not out)
Player of the match: Kamran Ghulam (Abbottabad) Lahore Region Whites beat Faisalabad Region by six wickets
Faisalabad 106-7, 10 overs (Mubasir Khan 26, Mohammad Faizan 21; Ahmed Daniyal 3-17, Ubaid Shah 2-25) .
