Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [200/5] beat Southern Punjab [194/8] by 6 runs in the National T20 Cup

[MenInG]

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

First XI - Mohammad Rizwan (captain, wicketkeeper), Junaid Khan (vice-captain), Arshad Iqbal, Asif Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imran Khan Snr, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Mohsin, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Usman Khan Shinwari, Wahab Riaz and Zohaib Khan.

Central Punjab

First XI – Babar Azam (captain), Saad Nasim (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafiq, Abid Ali, Ahmed Bashir, Ali Shan, Bilal Asif, Ehsan Adil, Irfan Khan Niazi, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Qasim Akram, Rizwan Hussain, Sohaibullah, Usman Qadir and Zafar Gohar.

 

[Arsal_AK]

It should be Southern Punjab not Central Punjab in the title.

 

[MenInG]

Southern Punjab won the toss and elected to field first

 

[Sher Khan]

What the hell is Shan Masood's signature. Looks like some gibberish in French.

 

[NeVerMind]

Is there a way to watch this and other National T20 matches if you based in the UK?

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Is there a way to watch this and other National T20 matches if you based in the UK?

Look for PCB's channel on Youtube.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

I can't believe that Mohammad Haris yet again isn't given a chance.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Can't watch the games on YT with so much pixilated quality even if says 1080 HD as it hurts the eyes.

The highlights are better without that.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

I can't believe that Mohammad Haris yet again isn't given a chance.

These tournaments are for people like Malik, Hafeez, Wahab, Akmal, Farhat, Saad Nasim, Manzoor and many others.

 

[angrypathan]

Umer Siddique over Aamer Yamin? Come on.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Those dropped catches were really amateurish

 

[Fahdi]

Every time I catch a glimpse of these matches I see a couple of sitters get dropped.

 

[Kashmiri_Pak_fan]

Every time I catch a glimpse of these matches I see a couple of sitters get dropped.

Who dropped who?

 

[Caved12]

Rizwan has strenth to hit big shots. He can be a decent bat in t20 if he continues to work on his power game.

 

[JibranAnsari]

will the match become interesting if i put it on mute?

 

[shamaan]

Those dropped catches were really amateurish

The first was was hard the second was a absolute sitter

 

[Arsal_AK]

Every time I catch a glimpse of these matches I see a couple of sitters get dropped.

The only team putting any effort in fielding is Northern. The rest are beyond mediocre.

 

[MenInG]

 

[aloo paratha]

Why is Wahab coming in before Sahibzada and Mohsin? Why even play Sahibzada if you're gonna put him at #7? Would be better to drop Sahibzada or Malik and bring in Mohammad Haris.

 

[shamaan]

Why is Wahab coming in before Sahibzada and Mohsin? Why even play Sahibzada if you're gonna put him at #7? Would be better to drop Sahibzada or Malik and bring in Mohammad Haris.

What an awful selector Razaq is unbelievable

 

[shamaan]

Malik lol

 

[Afhan Ali]

Razzaq contract will surely be not more than 1 year.

Without Shaheen, what will be the average age of KPK side?

 

[Titan24]

I think Hussain Talat bowled decent lengths considering everything. He can surely be Stoinis kind of a bowler but, its his batting where he needs to show he can provide the power hitting to the team.

 

[naseem]

I don't rate Talat the bowler but he has done a good job by removing Malik

 

[Titan24]

SP needs to import a pacer from 2nd XI by the looks of it. They have got possibly some better options in Zia Ul Haq, Dilber Hussain and Mohammad Imran in their 2nd XI. Mohammad Imran is 23 year old pacer who was 2nd highest wicket take in last year's 2nd XI national T20. I think its clear their bowling isnt working.

 

[Titan24]

I don't rate Talat the bowler but he has done a good job by removing Malik

Yes he is average at max as a bowler (In the mold of Stoinis). Mainly a batting all rounder but its good that he can bowl early 130s kph as a medium pacer to provide options to the side.

 

[Titan24]

Zeeshan, Sohaib and Khusdil will be the key players if SP is going to chase this down.

 

[Titan24]

What a delivery from Shaheen. In dipping yorker with new ball. Bit of a rough decision for Zeeshan I think.

 

[Titan24]

Shot from Sohaib Maqsood. Surely one of the most powerful hitters in Pakistan.

 

[Titan24]

Some impressive batting from Hussain Talat till now.

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Is there a web link to this match?

 

[Titan24]

Is there a web link to this match?

Its on PCBs YouTube channel live in HD but with few minutes delay. Search PCB live stream on YouTube. External sources and links arent allowed.

 

[Darkrai]

Is there a web link to this match?

There's a live stream on youtube. Just search for it.

 

[Titan24]

Massive hit from Sohaib Maqsood

 

[Xoib]

It's so sad maqsood did not have the drive or hunger he could have been an ideal modern day odi middle order batsman in Maxwell mould.

 

[Xoib]

It's so sad maqsood did not have the drive or hunger he could have been an ideal modern day odi middle order batsman in Maxwell mould.

If he can have a good psl I would not mind him getting a go over malik for the world t 20

 

[Titan24]

It's so sad maqsood did not have the drive or hunger he could have been an ideal modern day odi middle order batsman in Maxwell mould.

Agreed. However, Maxwell only played so many ODIs for Aus because he provides an option in bowling as well otherwise Australia doesnt compromise on consistency. As a batsman alone while Maxwell’s SR is extraordinary, his avg of 33 and 2 100s in 114 ODIs is ordinary I think especially considering he bats in positions where he can have quite a few not outs.

 

[MenInG]

Khushdil Shah run out (Shaheen Shah Afridi)

 

[Titan24]

Excellent third last over from Shaheen

 

[Omer2002]

Everybody keeps.mentioning saif badar he has killed the momentum they could have actually won this

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

There's a live stream on youtube. Just search for it.

Thank you

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Its on PCBs YouTube channel live in HD but with few minutes delay. Search PCB live stream on YouTube. External sources and links arent allowed.

Thank you

 

[Titan24]

Everybody keeps.mentioning saif badar he has killed the momentum they could have actually won this

Agreed, pretty ordinary stuff from him. Couldnt even hit full tosses in the last over other than one.

 

[Arsal_AK]

8 off 11 is not excusable when you are chasing 11 an over.

Doesn't seem to be any good.

 

[Titan24]

Another match which SP should have won. Previously lost a match against Northern from winning position and now again loosing it from a pretty winnable position.

 

[Titan24]

8 off 11 is not excusable when you are chasing 11 an over.

Doesn't seem to be any good.

Same observation as of now. Have seen him couple of years ago and he played some impressive shots but his mindset and temperament is not good enough at the moment. Keeps on blocking and rotating and never gets going. He has pretty ordinary record across the formats so far.

 

[Omer2002]

Actually he should have won that having two full tosses

 

[DandyFellow]

Have to give credit where due! The captaincy by Rizwan was spot on and was required to win the match. One over was to be bowled by a spinner in the death with the dew on. The usage of Wahab Riaz, Shaheen Shah and Junaid was right as that left them with 22 runs in the last over.
Also, it is quite evident that Sarfraz's captaincy on the field has been amongst the best given the limitations of the Sindh team. Shadab also has been leading the Northern team from the front from batting, bowling and fielding.
Worst captain has been Saad Nasim followed by Haris Sohail. Shan Masood has not been great either.

 

[Titan24]

Have to give credit where due! The captaincy by Rizwan was spot on and was required to win the match. One over was to be bowled by a spinner in the death with the dew on. The usage of Wahab Riaz, Shaheen Shah and Junaid was right as that left them with 22 runs in the last over.
Also, it is quite evident that Sarfraz's captaincy on the field has been amongst the best given the limitations of the Sindh team. Shadab also has been leading the Northern team from the front from batting, bowling and fielding.
Worst captain has been Saad Nasim followed by Haris Sohail. Shan Masood has not been great either.

Rizwan surely has a decent cricketing mind.

I think Haris has been decent with his limited resources. Even last year he lead his team to the finals. Saad Nasim shouldnt have been the captain to start with. Shan Masood needs to take some tough selection calls.

 

[The Viper]

Sohaib Maqsood’s 40-ball 77 went in vain as Southern Punjab fell six runs short of the 201-run target against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the eighth fixture of the National T20 Cup First XI tournament on Saturday evening at Multan Cricket Stadium.

The 33-year-old stitched a 24-run stand with Umar Siddiq (16 off 12) and followed it up with a remarkable partnership of 78 with Hussain Talat, who scored 38 runs from 22 balls and hit six boundaries, after arriving at the crease in the third over with the scorecard reading 23 for two.

Left-arm pacer Junaid Khan ended both stands and accounted for Bilawal Bhatti in the penultimate over to finish with three for 26 in four overs. Reflecting on his performance, Junaid told pcb.com.pk: “You enjoy your performance only when your team wins the match. I am delighted that I was able to contribute in my team’s win. I could not play the last match so I came into this match with pressure to perform, as due to tough competition for spots in the team you have to perform to cement your position.”

Southern Punjab remained favourites to win the contest with Sohaib at the crease. A mix-up between Sohaib and Khushdil Shah (five off nine) on the first ball of the 16th over promised to shift the momentum in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s favour, but Sohaib dispatched the next three deliveries from Shaheen Afridi to boundary to ensure the match remained in his team’s control.

He holed out to deep extra cover fielder in the next over from where Khyber Pakhtunkhwa snatched a win. Southern Punjab required 22 off the last over. Mohammad Hafeez conceded 15 runs to take his team over the line.

Hafeez’s match-winning over followed a blazing 35-ball 67 which set the platform for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to post 200 for five. For his all-round contribution, he was named man-of-the-match.

Hafeez smashed five fours and five sixes and stitched a 100-run partnership with his captain Mohammad Rizwan, who registered what was his second half-century on trot. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa captain smashed six fours and two sixes in his 39-ball 55.

But that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were able to post a daunting total was due to Iftikhar Ahmed, who smashed 45 not out at a strike rate of 225. The right-handed batsman struck three fours and three sixes.

Rahat Ali, playing his first match of the tournament, and Hussain Talat took two wickets each for Southern Punjab.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Southern Punjab meet again on 12 October at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi.

Scores in brief:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 200-5, 20 overs (Mohammad Hafeez 67, Mohammad Rizwan 55, Iftikhar Ahmed 45 not out; Rahat Ali 2-37, Hussain Talat 2-38)

Southern Punjab 194-8, 20 overs (Sohaib Maqsood 77, Hussain Talat 38, Saif Badar 22 not out; Junaid Khan 3-26)

Result: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa won by six runs

 

[naseem]

Maqsood deserves a go....