http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=235406
Six-star Shoaib helps Leopards overcome Panthers
Thursday, April 22, 2010
By Alam Zeb Safi
KARACHI: Speedster Shoaib Akhtar took six wickets to catapult Federal Areas Leopards record their second consecutive victory with a 77-run victory over Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Panthers in their match of the RBS Pentangular Cup one-day held here at the National Stadium on Wednesday.
Itching for an international comeback, Shoaib proved his real fitness and bowled in a terrific rhythm, finishing with 6-52 in 9.3 overs.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa suffered two big blows in the start, while chasing 306, when Shoaib Akhtar took the wickets of openers Imran Nazir (12) and Raffatullah Mohmand (5).
Imran Nazir was bowled by Shoaib while Raffat edged a rising delivery from to keeper Naeem Anjum.
Shoaib’s early blitz almost broke the back of Pakhtunkhwa as they lost Yasir Hameed (29), Adnan Raees (25) and Wajid Ali (26) at regular intervals and at one stage were 125-5.
Wicketkeeper batsman Ahmed Said and Zohaib Khan provided some resistance and put on 46 runs for the sixth wicket, Shoaib Akhtar once again gave a breakthrough to Federal Areas with the wicket of Ahmad Said, clean bowled him with a beautiful in-swinging Yorker.
Mardan-born gloveman scored 46 off 57 balls with five fours. The Rawalpindi Express then blew the tail by taking the wickets of Zohaib Khan (47), Yasir Shah (4) and Sohail Khan (5) to dismiss the Frontier side for 228 in 48.3 overs.
Except Shoaib’s six wickets haul, Shehzad Azam took 2-33 in six overs.
Earlier, the batsmen of Federal Areas Leopards fully exploited the easy batting conditions, which saw four half centuries after they opted to bat first.
Allrounder Yasim Murtaza top-scored with 63 off 55 balls in which he smashed six fours and a six. He was involved in an 87-run fifth wicket stand with Usman Saeed (33) and his slogs in the batting power-play were enthralling.
However, the most fascinating innings came from opener Raheel Majeed who hit nine fours and two sixes in 40-ball 56. His vital 65 runs association with Umar Amin (50) for the second wicket gave a good foundation to Leopards which was capitalised on by coming batsmen.
Amin faced 57 balls for his half century, which was embellished with five fours.
Wicketkeeper batsman Naeem Anjum once again clicked with the bat and scored an unbeaten 52 off 36 which was punctuated by nine fours.
He shared 54 runs for the seventh wicket with left-hander Imad Wasim (24) for the seventh wicket, which took Leopards to 305-8 in the stipulated 50 overs.
Left-arm orthodox Zohaib Khan grabbed 3-46 in nine overs while Khalid Usman clinched 2-42 in eight overs. Pacer Sohail Khan remained expensive as he took 2-62 in his nine overs.
Six-star Shoaib helps Leopards overcome Panthers
Thursday, April 22, 2010
By Alam Zeb Safi
KARACHI: Speedster Shoaib Akhtar took six wickets to catapult Federal Areas Leopards record their second consecutive victory with a 77-run victory over Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Panthers in their match of the RBS Pentangular Cup one-day held here at the National Stadium on Wednesday.
Itching for an international comeback, Shoaib proved his real fitness and bowled in a terrific rhythm, finishing with 6-52 in 9.3 overs.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa suffered two big blows in the start, while chasing 306, when Shoaib Akhtar took the wickets of openers Imran Nazir (12) and Raffatullah Mohmand (5).
Imran Nazir was bowled by Shoaib while Raffat edged a rising delivery from to keeper Naeem Anjum.
Shoaib’s early blitz almost broke the back of Pakhtunkhwa as they lost Yasir Hameed (29), Adnan Raees (25) and Wajid Ali (26) at regular intervals and at one stage were 125-5.
Wicketkeeper batsman Ahmed Said and Zohaib Khan provided some resistance and put on 46 runs for the sixth wicket, Shoaib Akhtar once again gave a breakthrough to Federal Areas with the wicket of Ahmad Said, clean bowled him with a beautiful in-swinging Yorker.
Mardan-born gloveman scored 46 off 57 balls with five fours. The Rawalpindi Express then blew the tail by taking the wickets of Zohaib Khan (47), Yasir Shah (4) and Sohail Khan (5) to dismiss the Frontier side for 228 in 48.3 overs.
Except Shoaib’s six wickets haul, Shehzad Azam took 2-33 in six overs.
Earlier, the batsmen of Federal Areas Leopards fully exploited the easy batting conditions, which saw four half centuries after they opted to bat first.
Allrounder Yasim Murtaza top-scored with 63 off 55 balls in which he smashed six fours and a six. He was involved in an 87-run fifth wicket stand with Usman Saeed (33) and his slogs in the batting power-play were enthralling.
However, the most fascinating innings came from opener Raheel Majeed who hit nine fours and two sixes in 40-ball 56. His vital 65 runs association with Umar Amin (50) for the second wicket gave a good foundation to Leopards which was capitalised on by coming batsmen.
Amin faced 57 balls for his half century, which was embellished with five fours.
Wicketkeeper batsman Naeem Anjum once again clicked with the bat and scored an unbeaten 52 off 36 which was punctuated by nine fours.
He shared 54 runs for the seventh wicket with left-hander Imad Wasim (24) for the seventh wicket, which took Leopards to 305-8 in the stipulated 50 overs.
Left-arm orthodox Zohaib Khan grabbed 3-46 in nine overs while Khalid Usman clinched 2-42 in eight overs. Pacer Sohail Khan remained expensive as he took 2-62 in his nine overs.
