National T20 Cup | Match 18 | Sindh [171/7] beat Central Punjab [170/6] by 3 wickets

[MenInG]

Squads:

Central Punjab - Babar Azam (captain), Saad Nasim (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafiq, Abid Ali, Ahmed Bashir, Ali Shan, Ehsan Adil, Irfan Khan Niazi, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Akhlaq, Waqas Maqsood, Qasim Akram, Rizwan Hussain, Sohaibullah, Usman Qadir and Zafar Gohar.


Sindh - Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain, wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Ahsan Ali, Anwar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Azam Khan, Danish Aziz, Ghulam Mudassir, Hassan Khan, Khurram Manzoor, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Taha, Sharjeel Khan and Sohail Khan.

 

[MenInG]

Sindh won the toss and elected to field first

 

[Pacy with wisdom]

Good opening spell by sohail. Very skillful bowler.

 

[Titan24]

Mohammad Hasnain bowled an impressive first over however poor fielding cost him the wicket of Babar.

 

[Maliq_Mudasir]

Someone please update scores.

 

[Titan24]

CP 22/1 after 3.2. Babar 21 (15), Abdullah 0 (2)

 

[Pacy with wisdom]

Abdullah seems star struck after babar's come back into the side.

 

[Titan24]

Feel for Hasnain, have bowled pretty well till now with no rewards and fielding letting him down. Liking the areas he is bowling with the new ball. He can try to work on his outswing with Sohail Khan.

 

[Titan24]

Abdullah seems star struck after babar's come back into the side.

Lol! Yeah I have been thinking the same. His shot in the first match was unlike him and looked like he wanted to impress by taking on the spinner early. Needs to sort himself out.

 

[Titan24]

Babar definitely trying to implement his power game here which he probably has been working on in the nets.

 

[Shafi]

Hopefully Basit Ali and Sarfraz will be humiliated today. Big supporter of TTF.

 

[Titan24]

CP 41/1 after 5 overs. Babar on 35 (22), Abdullah 2 (5)

 

[Zeshan547]

oh man the difference in class is just like noob vs pro, i am talking about Abdullah shafiq vs Babar, and shafiq is way better than what he has shown today, but alhamdulilah babar sher is something else.

 

[Titan24]

Outstanding stuff from Babar. Dropped catch on Hasnain's bowling is costing Sindh big time here

 

[Zeshan547]

not many better sights in cricket than watching kohli and babar live at same time, albeit on two different screens in two different matches and tournaments and particularly different wickets.

 

[Titan24]

oh man the difference in class is just like noob vs pro, i am talking about Abdullah shafiq vs Babar, and shafiq is way better than what he has shown today, but alhamdulilah babar sher is something else.

Definitely, Babar is one of the best players in the world and is a developed international pro while Abdullah is yet to play handful of domestic matches so not a valid comparison for Abdullah.

 

[Titan24]

Babar showing some impressive power game.

 

[Zeshan547]

MashAllah babar has taken his power game to next level, hope he can replicate it at international level, even though it will be much harder to do vs better bowlers.

 

[Titan24]

What a catch from Asad Shafiq.

 

[Zeshan547]

shafiq the Pakistani Jhonty Rhodes, just amazing, I think this is the best shafiq moment on a cricket field.

 

[Titan24]

MashAllah babar has taken his power game to next level, hope he can replicate it at international level, even though it will be much harder to do vs better bowlers.

Yes it would be harder but, he has started the process by implementing that in domestics. That is always the best way to transition anything to international cricket.

 

[shamaan]

Poor batting from abdullah tries to play to compact brilliant catch from asad showing the youngesters how to catch

 

[Shams123]

Faheem should have dived.

 

[Omer2002]

Abdullah is not a 20 20 player but still trying i think he will be grt in longer format

 

[Deewana Mastana]

I feel that perhaps Abdullah Shafique should not be drafted into the Pak set up just yet.

He needs a full season of domestic cricket under his belt, his fitness needs to be better, his footwork and balance on the crease needs work upon and also his game plan as well.

if he gets a good PR, he could try and look at getting club cricket stints in the UK.

 

[Titan24]

Waqar and Wasim both emphasizing on how important is the 4day cricket for young bowlers to develop that hard length.

 

[Titan24]

Rizwan Hussain has quite a few shots all around the ground but needs to learn how to stay on the crease and play long innings.

 

[Titan24]

Time for Rizwan, Saad, Qasim and Zafar to provide the finish. Their captain has provided them a good platfrom.

 

[Dark_Horse]

Saad Nasim parchi of the year

 

[Titan24]

Hasnain has bowled pretty well today.

 

[naseem]

Hasnain made a good comeback after the disaster of yesterday.........dew might favour Sindh ...... Babar what a knock...... Good cameos from Gohar Rizwan......it's time for Qadir Gohar Adil to shine........Babar need to replace Nasim

 

[Titan24]

I think poor decision from umpire. Asad was right in front of the wicket.

 

[Titan24]

Good over from Zafar.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Funnily Azhar Ali called a square cut a straight drive.

Azam is a really interesting player. A lot of power.

 

[shah_1]

Minnow fielding

 

[shah_1]

Abdullah Shafique is a pathetic feilder

 

[Titan24]

Decent hitting from Hassan Khan, 3 sixes in an over to Ehsan Adil.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Decent hitting from Hassan Khan, 3 sixes in an over to Ehsan Adil.

His batting is looking even better than Shadab's. Damn those were good hits.

 

[Titan24]

His batting is looking even better than Shadab's. Damn those were good hits.

Needs to be given more oppurtunities at right number. He was being played at no 9 by Sindh and today was sent at no 7 and looked much better. His bowling is decent for 5th option but needs to show more returns in batting when given oppurtunities.

 

[Kaddy]

Neither a bowler nor a batsman

Drops simple catches.

Yet he was captain.

That's Saad Nasim for you.

 

[naseem]

Criminal fielding by both sides.....poor fielding takes the joy away.....Hassan Zafar would provide competition 4 Shadab Imad

 

[The Viper]

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[The Viper]

Former Pakistan U19 batsman Danish Aziz saved Sindh’s blushes with a half-century that also overshadowed Central Punjab’s Babar Azam’s second successive half-century and spirited bowling performance from Waqas Ahmed in the 18th match of the PKR9million National T20 Cup at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday evening.

Danish clubbed five fours and three sixes in a 32-ball 59 not out as Sindh, chasing 171 for victory and after slipping to 16 for two and then 53 for four, romped to victory with three wickets and five balls to spare.

Danish had walked out to bat after Khurram Manzoor (six), Sharjeel Khan (six), Sarfaraz Ahmed (10) and Asad Shafiq (11) had returned to the hut. He added 44 runs for the fifth wicket with Azam Khan, who dominated the stand with a 23-ball 32.

The 24-year-old then put on 57 crucial runs for the sixth wicket with Hassan Khan (36 off 15 balls, 2x4, 4x6) to bring Sindh within touching distance.

And although Hassan and Anwar Ali departed with nine runs still required, Danish kept his cool as a Waqas Maqsood wide bouncer earned Sindh their second win in six matches and handed Central Punjab their fifth loss in seven matches.

Northern lead the pack with five wins from six matches, followed by Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (four wins a piece in six matches each). Southern Punjab is languishing at the bottom of the six-team table with one win in five matches.

With the top four sides to progress to the semi-finals, Sindh and the two Punjab sides will fight tooth and nail in the upcoming matches to seal places for the 17 October play-offs.

For Central Punjab, fast bowler Waqas Ahmed, who replaced an injured Naseem Shah, returned impressive figures of 3.1-0-14-3, while Zafar Gohar took two for 28 and Ehsan Adil bagged two for 45.

Earlier, Sindh displayed greasy palms but also showed glimpses of brilliance in the field and executed excellent death over bowling to restrict Central Punjab to 170 for six after sending them into bat.

Sindh showed special generosity towards Babar Azam by dropping him twice in the first 13 balls that allowed the local cricket fans to enjoy the world’s second-ranked batsman’s classy 86 on PTV Sports and overseas followers on delayed live-stream on the PCB YouTube Channel.

Babar slapped nine four and three sixes in a 53-ball 86, his second successive half-century since joining the squad for the Rawalpindi-leg matches.

While Sindh conceded runs in the field and dropped catches, two acts of brilliance also kept them in the hunt to keep Central Punjab to an achievable score. Asad Shafiq brought off a one-handed stunner to dismiss Abdullah Shafiq (16) and a couple of balls later Anwar Ali ran-out Faheem Ashraf.

Sindh bowlers, led by Sohail Khan, Mohammad Hasnain and Anwar, were on the mark and allowed Central Punjab to score 84 runs in the last 10 overs, including 44 runs off the last 30 balls.

Sohail Khan was the pick of the bowlers with three for 24, while Mohammad Hasnain and Anwar Ali took a wicket each conceding 26 and 27 runs, respectively.

Scores in brief

Sindh defeat Central Punjab by three wickets

Central Punjab 170-6, 20 overs (Babar Azam 86, Rizwan Hussain 23; Sohail Khan 3-24)

Sindh 171-7, 19.1 overs (Danish Aziz 59 not out, Hassan Khan 36, Azam Khan 32; Waqas Maqsood 3-14, Zafar Gohar 2-28, Ehsan Adil 2-45)

Player of the match – Danish Aziz (Sindh)

 

[zacattakk]

I thought it was poor captaincy from Babar Azam. He persisted with the spinners for too long. By the time the stand out bowler Waqas was brought back into the attack it was too late. I felt bad for Usman Qadir given how bad the fielding was.

 

[zacattakk]

Neither a bowler nor a batsman

Drops simple catches.

Yet he was captain.

That's Saad Nasim for you.

Seriously man. Can't bat, can't bowl, can't field. Simply pathetic. I hope he gets dropped. What idiot made him captain.

 

[MenInG]

Childhood friends earn Sindh thrilling win

Rawalpindi, 11 October 2020:

Languishing at the fifth spot with a mere two points and four losses in their first five games, Sindh looked destined for another defeat last night at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in their sixth match of the National T20 Cup for First XI teams when they lost their fifth wicket of the big-hitting Azam Khan with only 97 runs on the board in their chase of 171 runs against the Babar Azam-led Central Punjab.

The match was then turned decisively on its head in a stunning sixth wicket partnership of 57 runs in a mere 27 balls between two childhood friends’ man-of-the-match Danish Aziz and former Pakistan U19 captain Hassan Khan.

Hassan, who led Pakistan in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2018, stunned both the Central Punjab team and cricket fans with a series of huge sixes which belied his slight frame. The right-hander sealed the fate of the match by hitting fast bowler Ehsan Adil for three sixes in the 17th over of the Sindh innings.

Before the start of the over, Sindh needed 37 off 24 balls, Hassan went into the top-gear smoking sixes on the second, fourth and fifth ball of the over as 20 runs were taken of the over.

Hassan eventually fell for 36 off a mere 15 balls (two fours, four sixes) but had done enough to make the job easy both for his batting partner Danish and the batsmen to follow as Sindh completed their chase on the first ball of the 20th over with three wickets to spare.

Hassan Khan: “When I joined Danish at the crease, we decided to attack to bring the asking rate down. Danish briefed me about the behaviour of the pitch and how we needed to approach the task at hand. We aimed to get at least one boundary per over and score runs in singles or doubles in the rest of the over.

“I really enjoyed the flick over square-leg that went for six in that Ehsan Adil over; I was very pleased to play a match winning role and that too in the company of my childhood friend Danish.”

Danish remained calm despite losing Hassan and then Anwar Ali, with nine runs required off the last seven balls, Danish hit Ehsan for a six over long-on which proved to be the decisive blow. Sohail Khan scored two runs off the first ball of Waqas Maqsood’s final over of the match before a wide bowled by Waqas finished the match in Sindh’s favour.

Danish who scored 59 not out off 32 balls, (five fours, three sixes) was equally pleased with his effort of seeing his side through to victory, like Hassan, he also enjoyed the company of his good friend in the crucial sixth wicket partnership.

Danish Aziz: “Hassan and I are childhood friends; we have played a lot of cricket together for Karachi and have represented Pakistan in age-group cricket together. We play a lot of club cricket together and also practiced at the same academy. We know each other’s capabilities and game very well which I feel helped us a great deal out in the middle. I am very pleased that I contributed to my side’s win in a tournament which has a lot of interest and following, I enjoyed all my boundaries but the six against Ehsan Adil in the penultimate over stands out.”