National T20 Cup | Match 14 | Northern [158/3] beat Balochistan [156/6] by 7 wickets

[MenInG]

Northern

First XI - Imad Wasim (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Ali Imran, Asif Ali, Farzan Raja, Haider Ali, Hammad Azam, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Ismail (for Multan leg only), Mohammad Nawaz, Musa Khan, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Sohail Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Amin and Zeeshan Malik

Balochistan

First XI – Haris Sohail (captain), Bismillah Khan (vice-captain, wicketkeeper), Akbar-ur-Rehman, Akif Javed, Ammad Butt, Awais Zia, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Butt, Imran Farhat, Kashif Bhatti, Khurram Shahzad, Taimur Khan, Umaid Asif, Umar Gul, Usama Mir and Yasir Shah

 

[shah_1]

Supporting Imam to do well again.

 

[Firebat]

Balochistan won the toss and batting first

 

[shah_1]

Muhammad Wasim is quality

Rotating the squad

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

What do we know of Muhmmad Ismail?

 

[shamaan]

Muhammad Wasim is quality

Rotating the squad

Best coach in the national cup by far

 

[Darkrai]

three 4s in a row against Amir

 

[Titan24]

Awais Zia with 3 4s to Amir in his first over. Amir really needs to hit nets and gym

 

[DandyFellow]

This match would be a real test for Northern. They are fielding a relatively weaker team especially bowling.

 

[Titan24]

What do we know of Muhmmad Ismail?

Not much. He is 23 and from Gujjar Khan(Same place where Moh Amir is from). Didnt get a chance in 2019 domestic season. Played bit of FC cricket in Srl earlier this year like Sohaibullah and Saad Nasim.

 

[aloo paratha]

Amir has regressed at an alarming rate. Even when he first came back, he may not have been the same bowler, but he was still able to swing the ball and get it to move off the seam at 140 kph.

Nowadays he bowls gun barrel straight, struggling to reach 135 kph.

 

[Titan24]

Good slower ball.

 

[Khan12]

Mohammed ismail doesn't look any good tbh. I hope he proves me wrong.

 

[Titan24]

Amir has regressed at an alarming rate. Even when he first came back, he may not have been the same bowler, but he was still able to swing the ball and get it to move off the seam at 140 kph.

Nowadays he bowls gun barrel straight, struggling to reach 135 kph.

Not sure what he is doing during off season. Dont remember seeing anyone struggling this much within couple of years. Anderson at 38 is bowling close to and sometimes even bit more than 140 kph in tests and at the same time Steyn still bowls 140 kph plus at 35 years of age with not much of an issue.

 

[Titan24]

Mohammed ismail doesn't look any good tbh. I hope he proves me wrong.

He looks to be like that left arm pacer Imran Khan who played for Pak in T20s. I think Ismail has maybe bit more pace but relies on the variations to deceive batsmen.

 

[Titan24]

Northern with their performances earned a sponsor during the tournament. That logo at the center of their shirt wasnt there before.

 

[Greenstorm]

Muhammad Wasim is quality

Rotating the squad

Ali Imran should have been dropped instead of Zeeshan who was among the leading scorers in this competition.

 

[aloo paratha]

Not sure what he is doing during off season. Dont remember seeing anyone struggling this much within couple of years. Anderson at 38 is bowling close to and sometimes even bit more than 140 kph in tests and at the same time Steyn still bowls 140 kph plus at 35 years of age with not much of an issue.

Workload is such a lame excuse too. We play like 6-8 tests per year on average. 10 years ago Anderson (same age as Amir now) used to play most tests for England and all ODIs and T20s. He'd still crank it up at high speeds in ODIs and adequate speeds in tests.

 

[Pacy with wisdom]

Ali Imran should have been dropped instead of Zeeshan who was among the leading scorers in this competition.

Zeeshan has been rested and not dropped. He has fitness issues.

 

[Khan12]

Zeeshan has been rested and not dropped. He has fitness issues.

What do you make of Arshad Iqbal?

 

[Khan12]

He looks to be like that left arm pacer Imran Khan who played for Pak in T20s. I think Ismail has maybe bit more pace but relies on the variations to deceive batsmen.

Yeah agreed. Seems too slow. Don't see much future for him, but good luck to him.

 

[Pacy with wisdom]

What do you make of Arshad Iqbal?

He is a good bowler. Hits the deck very hard and can be a good option on pitches with life.
He doesnt swing the ball much but will be effective on grassy surfaces.
The New Zealand test match conditions will be ideal for him.

 

[anakwalajinn]

Is that Ahmed Shehad commentating?

Why is he not playing in this tournament?

 

[Khan12]

He is a good bowler. Hits the deck very hard and can be a good option on pitches with life.
He doesnt swing the ball much but will be effective on grassy surfaces.
The New Zealand test match conditions will be ideal for him.

Good to hear. Yes we don't have many bowlers who hit the deck hard.

 

[Syed1]

Till now this Akbar Rahman guy is looking like a dud

 

[Syed1]

Harry showing how he is easily the second best LOI bat in Pakistan after Bobby.


If only he had Bobby's drive to be better and was more fit, would have been a top 10 ranking batsman.

 

[Titan24]

Workload is such a lame excuse too. We play like 6-8 tests per year on average. 10 years ago Anderson (same age as Amir now) used to play most tests for England and all ODIs and T20s. He'd still crank it up at high speeds in ODIs and adequate speeds in tests.

Exactly. Not sure what exactly Amir is doing, if its the bad fitness habits or discipline. Whatever, it is something is definitely not right.

 

[Rayyman]

Harry showing how he is easily the second best LOI bat in Pakistan after Bobby.


If only he had Bobby's drive to be better and was more fit, would have been a top 10 ranking batsman.

is by far the best player of spin in the world

 

[Syed1]

is by far the best player of spin in the world

Nazar laga di

 

[Khan12]

Umaid asif is awful. Beyond me why he keeps getting selected.

 

[naseem]

At what pace Irshad bowl today.....??

 

[Syed1]

Umaid Asif having a horror show in the field. After being smashed to all parts by Umar Amin earlier in the innings.

 

[Khan12]

At what pace Irshad bowl today.....??

They don't have speed guns. But looked lively. Was hitting the bat hard.

 

[Khan12]

Umaid Asif having a horror show in the field. After being smashed to all parts by Umar Amin earlier in the innings.

He's an awful cricketer. Full stop.

 

[Justcrazy]

117 . 3

14 overs

 

[Justcrazy]

Run a ball required by Northen here , they are well on top .

 

[Justcrazy]

........ Asif Ali hits that effortlessly ..

 

[Syed1]

The ability of Asif Ali to hit a long ball is AMAZING. Sadly he doesn't have many other skills as a full-time batsman.

 

[Justcrazy]

30 required from 30 balls !

Can Balochistan spice up the game with few wickets

 

[Justcrazy]

The ability of Asif Ali to hit a long ball is AMAZING. Sadly he doesn't have many other skills as a full-time batsman.

His problem is consistency, also if he could bowl a few overs in the middle part of innings , he would make an Ideal number 6 for Pakistan

 

[Justcrazy]

Four

hamamd hammers that away , as Northen motoring along here

 

[Justcrazy]

sixxxx Asif Ali goes after that one , trying to finish the game fast

 

[PakPremi]

Rohail N given chance at top and showed he is a good batsman. Hopefully no more Nawaz promotions.

 

[Syed1]

Man this Northern team is SO strong.


They pretty much played their second XI today and still walked home.

 

[naseem]

They don't have speed guns. But looked lively. Was hitting the bat hard.

Yes I thought it would b around 138ks to140ks....
Also impressed by Akif Javed.......they both are tall

 

[shamaan]

Rohail N given chance at top and showed he is a good batsman. Hopefully no more Nawaz promotions.

Nawaz should be dropped for imad waseem

 

[MenInG]

 

[shamaan]

Nothern are surely favourites their bench strength is top notch wasim is an select coach/selector getting everyone in form.shadab should continue captioning he sets the standard in fielding

 

[shamaan]

Yes I thought it would b around 138ks to140ks....
Also impressed by Akif Javed.......they both are tall

Akif javed is really impressing hes so young and he has shown very good control against the best batters around one to watch out for

 

[shamaan]

Till now this Akbar Rahman guy is looking like a dud

Hes stil young

 

[shamaan]

Ali Imran should have been dropped instead of Zeeshan who was among the leading scorers in this competition.

Maybe that's why they rested him

 

[MenInG]

Defending champions Northern recorded their 10th consecutive victory in the T20 format by defeating last year’s finalists’ Balochistan by a comprehensive seven wicket margin on Tuesday night at the Multan Cricket Stadium in the 14th match of the National T20 Cup for First XI teams. This was the last match of the Multan-leg and the 33-match tournament will now resume at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday with a clash between Northern and Central Punjab.

On Tuesday night under the Multan Cricket Stadium floodlights, young wicketkeeper batsman Rohail Nazir who was promoted in the batting order stroked 42 off 27 balls batting at number three to set the platform of Northern’s comfortable chase of the 157-run target.

Rohail hit one six and five fours in his innings which earned him the man-of-the-match award. The Pakistan U19 captain added 52 runs with Umar Amin who made 30 off 25 balls in his role as the makeshift opener.

Asif Ali and Hammad Azam shared an unbroken 72-run partnership for the fourth wicket to take their side past the target with 13 balls to spare. Asif’s 41 came off 30 balls and included three sixes and two fours while Hammad’s unbeaten 30 required 23 balls, the right-hander hit four fours in his unbeaten innings. Yasir Shah took two wickets for 32 runs for Balochistan.

Meanwhile, Northern rested three star performers, the pace duo of Haris Rauf, Musa Khan and the in-form opener Zeeshan Malik. Sohail Tanvir, Hammad and Mohammad Ismail Khan replaced the trio in the playing eleven.

Veteran fast bowler Umar Gul who won the man-of-the-match award in Balochistan’s win over Central Punjab last night was replaced by Khurram Shehzad in the Balochistan line-up while leg-spinner Usama Mir replaced left-arm-spinner Kashif Bhatti. Akbar-ur-Rehman replaced Imran Butt in the middle-order

Reflecting on his performance man-of-the-match Rohail Nazir said: “I was waiting for an opportunity to bat high in the order; I had the belief that I will make full use of the opportunity whenever it comes. I didn’t finish the game but I am happy with my contribution. We are a side that is doing really well and the youngsters are also performing, you have to make full use of whatever opportunity you get.


“Captain Shadab Khan really backed me and told me that you will get the chance to bat high in the order at some stage of the tournament and I am glad that I made it count today.”

Balochistan won the toss and opted to bat first; they lost the in-form Imam-ul-Haq early, the left-hander was dismissed by Mohammad Amir for two runs. Awais Zia hit three fours in his 14 off eight balls before perishing to the wiles of the richly experienced pacer Sohail Tanvir.

Bismillah Khan fell for 12 runs to newcomer Ismail leaving his side wobbling at 38 for three in the fifth over; captain Haris Sohail led the rescue act. The left-hander hit two sixes and four fours in a typically stylish innings of 51 that came off 41 balls. Haris was run out at the non-striker’s end while attempting a second run. Hairs added 83 runs for the fourth wicket with Akbar.

Akbar, held the innings together with Haris in a 38-run effort in which he consumed 32 balls. The right-hander hit two sixes and two fours in his innings.

For Northern the experienced duo of Sohail and Amir took two wickets apiece conceding 27 and 31 runs respectively.

Scores in brief:

Balochistan 156-6, 20 overs (Haris Sohail 51, Akbar-ur-Rehman 38; Sohail Tanvir 2-27, Mohammad Amir 2-31)

Northern 158-3, 17.5 overs (Rohail Nazir 42, Asif Ali 41 not out, Hammad Azam 30 not out; Yasir Shah 2-32)

Result – Northern won by seven wickets

Player of the match – Rohail Nazir (Northern)

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Brilliant.

 

[Gullycricket]

Wasim as selector and Arthur as coach would have been like watching Bobby Haris experience in management

 

[naseem]

The team I want 2 win although KP has international experience in their team......

 

[MenInG]

 

[angrypathan]

Southern Punjab

 

[shamaan]

Central punjab has been unlucky if babar was thier he should have won some games on his own also they dont have a finisher which they have missed a couple a times