Pakistan Cup Archives

Peshawar defeat Karachi Whites to win Pakistan Cup 2023-24

RAWALPINDI: Peshawar clinched their third one-day cup title after defeating Karachi Whites at Pindi Cricket Stadium by five wickets in the Pakistan Cup 2023-24 final.

Nabi Gul hit the winning runs for Peshawar as the Sahibzada Farhan-led side pocketed a cash prize of PKR 5 million.

Peshawar’s last national one-day title win came in the 2016-17 season when they beat the same opponent at National Bank Stadium, Karachi in the final by 124 runs.

Karachi Whites began their innings patiently after being put in to bat first by Peshawar on a surface that seemed to assist the fast bowlers.

The first blow arrived in the eighth over with Habibullah dismissed by left-arm pacer Mohammad Imran.

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Saim Ayub, who starred with 95 in the semi-final of the Pakistan Cup for Karachi Whites, was the second batter to exit the stage when Imran struck again to have him caught by Azam Khan. Wickets continued to tumble as none of the top five batters could register a score above 13.

Karachi Whites skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed was dismissed courtesy of a sharp catch by Iftikhar Ahmed for just 22 off 25 balls.

Azam Khan was the last man out for 30 off 46 deliveries as Karachi merely scrambled to 103 all out in 31.2 overs.

Imran was the chief destroyer with four wickets for 28 runs while Mohammad Abbas Afridi got three wickets.

Peshawar did not face serious hiccups in their chase of the paltry target getting home with five wickets and 27.4 overs to spare.

Mohammad Haris top-scored with a quick-fire 46 from 33 balls featuring seven fours and a six.

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Sahibzada was out in bizarre fashion as he inadvertently whipped the bails off with his bat resulting in a hit wicket off Ghulam Mudassar.

The other four wickets to fall were taken by Noman Ali (two wickets), Danish Aziz and Saim (one each).

Multan’s Haseebullah took home the Player of the Tournament and best wicket-keeper awards for his tally of 326 runs including two centuries and 10 dismissals during the Pakistan Cup 2023-24.

Saim topped the batting chatting charts with 397 runs in eight innings and was duly named the best batter of the tournament.

Multan leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood and Peshawar fast bowler Abbas Afridi were the joint winners for the best bowler award with 15 wickets each. For his impactful figures of 4-28, Mohammad Imran was declared player of the final.

READ: Mohammad Yousuf appointed as Pakistan U19 Head Coach

Karachi Whites beat Multan to set up Pakistan Cup final clash with Peshawar

RAWALPINDI: Karachi Whites defeated Multan Region by 43 runs in the second semi-final of the Pakistan Cup and will now face Peshawar in the final.

The match was ended due to poor light and the result was decided by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method.

Multan openers Zain Abbas and Sharjeel Khan fared poorly with Zain being caught out after making six off 13 and Sharjeel being ducked off eight balls.

Left-handed batter Haseebullah however, delivered a powerhouse innings making 106 off 108 deliveries with 12 fours and two sixes and continued to play until the last ball.

Sohaib Maqsood made 32 off 35 before being caught by Sarfaraz Ahmed off the bowling of Nauman Ali in the 15^th over.

Sharoon Siraj lost his wicket via a run-out at seven off 15. Muhammad Shehzad and Muhammad Imran ended their runs at 26 (31) and 28 (25) respectively.

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Sohail Khan registered a four-fer claiming the scalps of Imran, Zahid Mehmood, Faisal Akram and Mohammad Sadaqat while conceding 44 runs.

Ghulam Mudassar claimed two wickets and conceded 31 runs. Noman Ali and Asad Shafiq took one wicket each.

Earlier, the partnership between Karachi Whites openers Shan Masood and Saim Ayub had managed to yield a collective score of 106 runs.

Shan Masood’s wicket fell earlier in the 15^th over and he ended his run at 41 off 38. Saim Ayub became Karachi Whites’ highest run-getter with 95 off 86 deliveries featuring 12 fours and one maximum.

He continued to play till the 26^th over and lost his wicket to Zahid Mehmood.

Right-handed batter Habibullah managed to pull off 40 off 45 deliveries before losing his wicket to Muhammad Imran.

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Asad Shafiq registered a dismal performance and was sent to the pavilion after scoring only four runs off eight deliveries.

Danish Aziz managed to make 33 off 42 before being sent back in the 41^st over. Sarfaraz Ahmed amassed 28 off 27 deliveries and lost his wicket to Tahir Hussain while Anwar Ali managed 22 off 14 before being bowled by Mohammad Sadaqat.

Multan’s Imran claimed the scalps of Shan Masood, Habibullah and Azam Khan while conceding 58 runs.

Faisal Akram and Mohamad Sadaqat claimed two wickets each while Tahir Hussain and Zahid Mehmood bagged one wicket each.

Karachi Whites made 280 runs, losing all their wickets in 44.3 overs setting a match-winning target of 281.

They will now take on Peshawar in the final of the Pakistan Cup at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

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Peshawar thump FATA to book Pakistan Cup final berth

RAWALPINDI: A combined effort from the bowlers led Peshawar to defeat FATA by 44 runs in the first semi-final of the Pakistan Cup at Pindi Cricket Stadium here on Thursday.

Earlier, Peshawar had finished first on the points table at the conclusion of the round-robin stage while FATA had finished fourth.

FATA were bundled out for 201 in 41.1 overs in pursuit of the 246-run target set by Peshawar, who were put into bat first.

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FATA openers Mohammad Farooq and Samiullah Jnr made 13 off 31 and two off nine with the latter losing his wicket earlier in the fifth over. Salman Khan Jnr scored 46 off 60 before getting caught by Adil Amin off the bowling of Iftikhar Ahmed.

Rehan Afridi made a meager 13 off 20 before losing his wicket to Azam Khan in the 17^th over while Mohammad Sarwar Afridi emerged as his side’s highest run-getter scoring 56 off 45 balls featuring three boundaries and three sixes. He was the last batter to be dismissed.

The performance of FATA’s lower-order batters remained under par and they failed to withstand Peshawar’s bowling attack.

Peshawar’s Mohammad Abbas Afridi claimed three wickets and conceded 34 runs while off-spinner Iftikhar Ahmed, pacer Mohammad Imran and left-arm spinner Azam Khan claimed two wickets each.

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Earlier, Peshawar managed to score 245 at the expense of seven wickets. Opener Sahibzada Farhan played an impressive innings scoring 69 off 76 balls featuring 11 boundaries before being bowled by Khushdil Shah in the 28^th over.

Fellow opener Maaz Sadaqat, however, managed to make only 16 off 27 before losing his wicket to Shahid Aziz in the 13^th over.

Kamran Ghulam registered a dismal performance making only one off six deliveries before being sent packing by Asif Afridi while Mohammad Haris managed 28 off 28 balls before getting caught by Khushdil Shah off the bowling of Sameen Gul.

Iftikhar Ahmed entered the fray in the 28^th over and was sent packing by Khuhdil Shah after scoring only five off 14 balls.

Nabi Gul pulled off 43 off 42 before conceding his wicket to Shahid Aziz in the in the 43^rd over. Mohammad Abbas Afridi made only three off four balls before being caught by Usman Khan Shinwari off Shahid.

Adil Amin managed a brisk 56 off 58 balls and continued to play till the end of the innings along with Azam Khan.

Shahid Aziz claimed three scalps at the expense of 55 runs. Khushdil Shah claimed two wickets at the expense of 39 runs while Sameen Gul and Asif Afridi took one wicket each.

Meanwhile, the second semi-final of the ongoing Pakistan Cup between Karachi Region Whites and Multan Region will take place at the same venue on Friday.

READ: Mohammad Hafeez appointed as Director of Pakistan Men’s Cricket Team

Peshawar, Karachi Whites, Multan and FATA reach Pakistan Cup semi-final

The seventh round of Pakistan Cup 2023-24, played at four venues across Rawalpindi, AJK and Abbottabad, saw wins for Karachi Whites, Multan, FATA and Faisalabad.

Despite losing their game against FATA today, Peshawar, with 11 points, topped the table and have thus qualified for the semi-finals of the Pakistan Cup along with Karachi Whites, Multan and FATA.

Rawalpindi, despite equaling FATA’s 8 points, failed to qualify owing to their inferior NRR.

The first semi-final will be played between Peshawar and FATA on 16 November while the second semi-final will be held between Karachi Whites and Multan on 17 November.

The Pakistan Cup 2023 final will be played on 19 November. All three games will be played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.

Faisalabad posted 293-8 in 45 overs after choosing to bat first against Lahore Whites at Pindi Cricket Stadium. Mohammad Faizan (70, 63b, 8x4s, 3x6s) and Muhammad Irfan Khan (70, 68b, 6x4s, 2x6s) were the prominent run-getters for the side.

Shehzad Akhtar (36, 58b, 5x4s) and Mohammad Saleem (35, 33b, 2x4s, 1×6) also chipped in with crucial runs.

Right-arm pacer Aamer Jamal took three wickets and Lahore Whites skipper Saad Naseem returned with two wickets.

Lahore Whites had an abysmal start to the chase, with Abid Ali and Umar Akmal dismissed for ducks and Mohammad Akhlaq getting out for just one run. Syed Zain-ul-Hasnain (10, 23b, 1×4) was caught behind soon after.

Tayyab Tahir (46, 52b, 7x4s) and Saad (41, 44b, 4x4s, 2x6s) stitched together a valiant partnership of 75 runs, however, their efforts remained insufficient as the side was dismissed for 191 in 43.4 overs.

Fighting knocks by Ahmed Daniyal (38, 42b, 1×4, 2x6s) and Fahad Munir (27, 72b, 1×4) went in vain.

Khurram Shahzad bagged his second consecutive four-fer. Ali Asfand and Abubakar Khan accounted for two wickets each.

Rawalpindi got to 242-9 in the allotted 45 overs after being put into bat first by Multan at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium.

Haider Ali hit an unbeaten half-century (78 not out, 70b, 2x4s, 5x6s) and was the top performer with the bat for his team. Opening batter Abdul Faseeh added a run-a-ball 68 (8x4s, 1×6) to the total.

His fellow opener Rehman Khan chipped in with 33 from 42, including four boundaries and a six.

Leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood bagged three wickets. Right-arm pacer Mohammad Imran and Multan captain Sharoon Siraj got two wickets apiece.

Sharjeel Khan’s century (106, 84b, 10x4s, 7x6s) helped Multan turn the chase completely in their favour. Sharoon (63 not out, 68b, 3x4s, 2x6s) also hit an unbeaten half-century to help the side get over the line in 43.2 overs with three wickets to spare.

All Rawalpindi bowlers returned with wickets; Kashif Ali and Farhan Shafiq, with two wickets each, were the most successful of the lot.

FATA banked on their decision to field first and bowled out Peshawar for 112 in 33 overs at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Left-arm pacer Usman Khan Shinwari set the seventh round of Pakistan Cup 2023 ablaze as he registered the fourth five-wicket haul of his List A career, giving only 14 runs in return.

Right-arm fast bowler Irfanullah Shah and left-arm spinner Asif Afridi claimed two wickets each.

Niaz Khan (40, 54b, 4x4s, 1×6), who was the ninth batter in, produced a fighting knock for Peshawar. The second-best score of the innings came from Sajid Khan’s bat, hitting 29 from 32, including three fours and a six.

On the back of a half-century by Samiullah Jnr (64, 74b, 8x4s, 1×6), FATA cruised to the target of 113 in 25.3 overs, losing only two wickets in the process. Salman Khan Jnr (32 not out, 69b, 2x4s) was the other contributor with the bat.

Mohammad Ilyas and Sajid Khan got a wicket each.

In the rain-delayed Pakistan Cup match, Lahore Blues scored 197-9 in the stipulated 40 overs, after being asked to bat first by Karachi Whites at Mirpur Cricket Stadium.

Hussain Talat hit a half-century (51, 60b, 2x2s, 2x6s) after the top four failed to get going. Cameos by Kashif Bhatti (35 not out, 22b, 4x4s, 2x6s) and Hunain Shah (24, 23b, 3x6s) took the side to a fighting total.

Left-arm spinner Danish Aziz, and fast bowlers Mir Hamza and Sohail Khan claimed two wickets each.

Although Shan Masood fell one short of his century but his fiery knock of 99 off 68 balls featuring 11 fours and two sixes ensured that Karachi Whites reach the target with ease.

They scored 201-4 in 28.4 overs, winning the game comprehensively. Danish (32 not out, 52b, 2x4s, 1×6) was the second-highest scorer for the side.

Left-arm spinner Kashif Bhatti claimed two wickets while right-arm pacer Hunain Shah and leg-spinner Usman Qadir got a wicket each.

READ: Morne Morkel steps down as Pakistan bowling coach

Saim Ayub’s 179 powers Karachi Whites to beat Rawalpindi in Pakistan Cup

Left-handed batter Saim Ayub played a marathon 179-run knock and powered Karachi Whites to thump Rawalpindi by 72 runs in the fifth round of the Pakistan Cup 2023.

The fifth round of Pakistan Cup 2023-24, played at four venues across Rawalpindi, AJK and Abbottabad had Peshawar, Karachi Whites, Multan and FATA emerge on top in their respective games.

The only game of the round not affected by bad weather saw FATA defeat Lahore Whites by six wickets in a low-scoring match. The other three matches were impacted by weather and bad light, and results were produced on the DLS method.

Karachi Whites scored a mammoth total of 364-7 in the allotted 45 overs after they were invited to bat first by Rawalpindi at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium.

Saim Ayub was the star of the show, smashing 179 from 125, including 15 fours and 11 sixes. This is the highest individual score of this edition of the competition so far.

Asad Shafiq produced a half-century (57, 43b, 6x4s, 2x6s) as well. All seven of the Rawalpindi bowlers returned with a wicket each.

In return, Rawalpindi only managed 169-5 in 27 overs before rain interfered. Abdul Faseeh (54, 45b, 9x4s, 1×6) and Umar Amin (44, 27b, 5x4s, 2x6s) were the major contributors with the bat.

Left-arm spinner Noman Ali got three wickets while Asad Shafiq returned with two scalps as well. Karachi Whites were awarded a 72-run victory, as per DLS.

In another fifth-round Pakistan Cup fixture, Peshawar, after being put into bat first, scored 264 all out in 45 overs against Faisalabad at Pindi Cricket Stadium.

Captain Sahibzada Farhan (66, 106b, 9x4s) and Kamran Ghulam (63, 46b, 7x4s, 2x6s) were the top scorers for the side.

Right-arm pacer Arshad Iqbal registered a five-wicket haul. Faheem Ashraf and Ali Shan, who were involved in a collision, went off the field after suspected concussion. Mohammad Huraira was named Faheem’s replacement, while Irfan Khan Niazi replaced Ali Shan.

In return, Faisalabad could only get to 142-7 in 27.3 overs before no further play was possible due to bad light. Asif Ali (30, 27b, 2x4s, 1×6) and Mohammad Saleem (27, 41b) were the only notable batters for the side.

Pacers Mohammad Ilyas, Abbas Afridi and left-arm spinner Azam Khan claimed two wickets each. Peshawar were awarded a 68-run victory, as per DLS.

In the rain-impacted Pakistan Cup fixture, Lahore Blues got to 257-7 in the stipulated 40 overs after Multan won the toss and elected to bowl first at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Hussain Talat (70, 56b, 9x4s) and Rizwan Hussain (62, 79b, 9x4s) were the top run-getters for the team. Tahir Hussain was the pick of the bowlers for Multan, accounting for three wickets.

Multan could only bat for 21.2 overs, before weather conditions disallowed further play. They scored 163-4, on the back of Sharjeel Khan’s quick-fire half-century (82, 63b, 8x4s, 5x6s).

Sohaib Maqsood also chipped in with 33 off 35 deliveries, including three fours and a six, as Multan were awarded a 37-run win over Lahore Blues as per DLS. Ali Shafiq, Umaid Asif, Hussain Talat and Usman Qadir took a wicket each.

FATA’s decision to bowl first worked in their favour as they bowled Lahore Whites out for only 128 in 38.1 overs in their Pakistan Cup clash at Mirpur Cricket Stadium.

Ahmed Daniyal was the highest scorer for the side, hitting 32 from 42, including three fours and a six. Fahad Munir added 27 off 44, including three boundaries, to the total. Asif Afridi and Khushdil Shah took three wickets each and Shahid Aziz also had two to his name.

In turn, FATA scored 130-4 in 22.1 overs. Mohammad Farooq (40, 30b, 6x4s), Mohammad Sarwar Afridi (34 not out, 28b, 4x4s, 1×6) and Samiullah Jnr (33, 58b, 3x4s) were the major contributors with the bat.

Mohammad Rameez Jnr grabbed two wickets while Asadullah and Aamer Jamal returned with a wicket each.

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Pakistan Cup: Shan Masood’s ton powers Karachi Whites to second victory

Karachi Whites’ stand-in captain Shan Masood scored an unbeaten century in the run chase and powered his side to thump Lahore Whites by eight wickets in the fourth round of the ongoing Pakistan Cup 2023.

Lahore Whites scored 249-5 in the allotted 45 overs after being put into bat first by Karachi Whites at Pindi Cricket Stadium.

Tayyab Tahir top-scored for the side, hitting an undefeated 92 from 93 balls, including eight fours and a six.

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He was supported by Umar Akmal, who chipped in with 45 from 35 including two boundaries and as many sixes. Left-arm spinner Noman Ali and pacer Anwar Ali bagged two wickets each.

Karachi Whites got to 250-2 in 34.4 overs owing to extraordinary batting by left-handed opener Shan Masood.

He scored an unbeaten century (121 not out, 99b, 12x6s, 2x6s), which placed the game completely in Karachi Whites’ favour. His efforts were complemented by veteran Asad Shafiq (86 not out, 89b, 9x4s).

Ahmed Bashir was the solitary wicket-taker for Lahore Whites, accounting for the two wickets to fall.

In the 13th match of the Pakistan Cup, on the back of half-centuries by Kamran Ghulam and Adil Amin, Peshawar defeated Lahore Blues by six wickets.

After winning the toss, Peshawar invited Lahore Blues to bat first at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium. The Imran Butt-led side were dismissed for 173 in 42 overs.

The skipper scored bulk of the runs, hitting 94 from 129, including 10 boundaries and a maximum. The second-best score of the innings came from Rizwan Hussain’s bat, who produced 22 from 17, including four boundaries.

Left-arm spinner Azam Khan returned with a four-wicket haul. Off-spinner Sajid Khan and fast bowler Mohammad Imran got two wickets each.

It took Peshawar 35.4 overs to complete the target of 174, losing only four wickets in the chase. Kamran Ghulam (54, 49b, 8x4s, 1×6) and Adil Amin (50 not out, 74b, 5x4s, 1×6) ensured that the chase remained comfortably in their control.

Ali Shafique took two wickets while Hunain Shah Ibtisam-ul-Haq had one each.

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Meanwhile, in another fourth-round fixture of the Pakistan Cup, Mubasir Khan’s heroics powered Rawalpindi to a seven-wicket win over Faisalabad.

Rawalpindi opted to bowl first after winning the toss against Faisalabad at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium. Faheem Ashraf-led Faisalabad managed to score 197 in 39.5 overs.

Mohammad Saleem (41, 55b, 5x4s, 1×6) and Ali Shan (37, 42b, 5x4s) were the notable run-getters for the side. Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Awais Anwar and Jahandad Khan grabbed two wickets each.

After losing three early wickets in the chase, an unbroken 179-run-stand between Mubasir Khan and Umar Amin turned the game in Rawalpindi’s favour, who got over the line in 38.5 overs.

Mubasir remained one short of his century, hitting an undefeated 99 from 105, including seven fours and four sixes. Umar also hit a crucial half-century (65 not out, 98b, 7x4s). Khurram Shahzad grabbed two wickets while Waqas Maqsood bagged a wicket as well.

In the 16th match of the Pakistan Cup, Multan suffered a heavy defeat by 60 runs against FATA at Mirpur Cricket Stadium.

The side could only manage to get to 129 while chasing 190. FATA impressed with the ball while defending a low target; skipper Khushdil Shah accounted for three scalps and Asif Afridi and Irfanullah Shah bagged two wickets each.

Fighting knocks by Sharoon Siraj (58, 82b, 3x4s, 4x6s) and Sharjeel Khan (38, 32b, 5x4s, 1×6) went in vain.

Earlier, after being asked to bat first, FATA got to 189 in 42.5 overs, on the backs of gritty batting efforts by Mohammad Sarwar Afridi (53, 79b, 4x4s, 2x6s), Khushdil (33, 50b, 2x4s) and Mohammad Farooq (32, 30b, 6x4s, 1×6).

Leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood had three wickets to his name, while Tahir Hussain, Waseem Akram and Faisal Akram claimed two wickets each.

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Karachi Whites, Multan taste first victories in Pakistan Cup 2023

Karachi Region Whites and Multan Region handed a six-wicket defeat to FATA Region and Lahore Region Whites to taste their first victories in the ongoing Pakistan Cup 2023.

The second round of Pakistan Cup 2023-24 was played at four venues across three cities – Rawalpindi, AJK and Abbottabad – in the country.

Karachi Whites banked on their decision to field first and dismissed FATA for 155 in 36.2 overs at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium.

Mohammad Sarwar Afridi was the lone fighter for his side, producing a gritty half-century (53, 68b, 2x4s, 3x6s). Mohammad Farooq, who scored 23 from 43 including two fours and a six, was the second-highest run-getter in the innings.

Veterans Anwar Ali and Sohail Khan grabbed three wickets each. Danish Aziz also got two wickets to his name and bowled three maidens in his eight-over spell.

In return, Karachi Blues completed the target in 31.1 overs, while losing four wickets. Omair Bin Yousuf top-scored (41, 57b, 6x4s) for his team. His efforts were complemented by Asad Shafiq (37 not out, 67b, 4x4s).

Irfanullah Shah took two wickets while Sameen Gul and captain Khushdil Shah had a wicket each to their name.

In another second-round Pakistan Cup fixture, half-centuries by Zain Abbas, Sharoon Siraj and Haseebullah helped Multan to a six-wicket win against Lahore Whites.

Multan won the toss and opted to field first against Lahore Whites at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Lahore Whites were bowled out for 266 in 44.1 overs. Tayyab Tahir (74, 86b, 6x4s, 4x6s) and Aamer Jamal (74, 53b, 7x4s, 4x6s) scored the bulk of the runs for their side.

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Captain Saad Naseem chipped in with 22 off 19 deliveries, including two boundaries and a maximum.

Pacer Mohammad Imran registered a four-wicket haul while left-arm wrist-spinner Faisal Akram grabbed two wickets.

It took Multan 39.2 overs to chase the target, getting to 270 at the expense of four wickets. Haseebullah (70, 96, 5x4s, 1×6), Zain Abbas (69, 67b, 6x4s, 1×6) and Sharoon Siraj (55 not out, 44b, 7x4s, 1×6) were crucial to Multan’s smooth sailing to the target.

Kamran Afzal got two wickets while Mohammad Faiq and Ahmed Bashir grabbed a wicket each.

Hunain Shah’s heroics with the ball allowed Lahore Blues to obtain a 94-run victory over Faisalabad in the second round of the Pakistan Cup.

After being put in to bat first, Lahore Blues got to 241-6 in the stipulated 45 overs. Junaid Ali (47 not out, 48b, 4x4s, 1×6) and Umar Siddiq (46, 41b, 8x4s, 1×6) were the high scorers for the side. Umaid Asif (41 not out, 28b, 4x4s, 1×6) and Hussain Talat (39, 63b, 2x4s) also chipped in.

Faisalabad captain Faheem Ashraf returned with three wickets while Mohammad Ali and Arham Nawab picked up a wicket apiece.

In turn, Faisalabad were dismissed for 149 in 36.2 overs courtesy of a six-wicket haul by Hunain Shah. Faisalabad batters had no answers for the questions asked by the right-arm pacer falling 94 short of Lahore Blues’ total.

Faheem was the only batter offering resistance, producing 40 from 57 including five boundaries. Mohammad Faizan (30, 38b, 4x4s) was the other contributor with the bat.

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The second round of the Pakistan Cup 2023 was graced with a thriller as Peshawar snatched a one-run victory from Rawalpindi.

Peshawar scored 212-9 in the allotted 45 overs after Rawalpindi decided to bowl first at Mirpur Cricket Stadium.

Nabi Gul hit 47 from 48 including five boundaries and a maximum, and was the top-scorer for the side. He was supported by Sajid Khan (38, 34b, 5x4s, 1×6) and Kamran Ghulam (36, 69b, 2x4s, 1×6).

Spinner Mubasir Khan and pacer Jahandad Khan returned with three scalps each.

Zeeshan Malik (83, 110b, 7x4s, 1×6) and Haider Ali (63, 65b, 11x4s) allowed Rawalpindi to get into a comfortable position while chasing 213.

However, a counterattack by the Peshawar bowlers swung the game back in their favour. Kamran Ghulam took a four-fer, while pacer Abbas Afridi had three wickets to his name.

Mohammad Imran took the last wicket to fall as Rawalpindi fell two runs short of the target as the side was dismissed for 211 in 41.3 overs.

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PCB unveils details of Pakistan Cup Women’s Cricket Tournament

Pakistan’s best women cricketers will be in action in the City of Lights, Karachi, from Friday, 19 May, in the Pakistan Cup Women’s Cricket Tournament 2022-23.

Pakistan Cup Women’s Cricket Tournament has been designed to provide maximum matches to these cricketers and will be played in two iterations – in the first, four sides will play T20 matches on round-robin basis and three teams will play one-day matches on double round-robin basis with the final on 4 June.

The first phase of the Pakistan Cup Women’s Cricket Tournament will see probables for ACC Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup – to be played in Hong Kong in June – showcase their skills, talent and get the desired match practice in challenging conditions under the banner of Strikers. The team will be captained by Pakistan ace fast bowler Fatima Sana.

The other three sides are Blasters, captained by Muneeba Ali, Pakistan’s only batter to score a century in T20Is, Challengers, led by left-arm orthodox Sadia Iqbal, and Dynamites, skippered by right-handed top-order batter Sidra Amin.

These six T20 matches will be played from 19 to 21 May at Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre Oval Ground and State Bank Ground.

From 23 May, Blasters, Challengers and Dynamites will feature in the 50-over tournament of the Pakistan Cup Women’s Cricket Tournament. The three teams will take on each other twice and the top two teams will play the final at the State Bank Ground.

In line with its policy of incentivising top-performers, the winning side of Pakistan Cup Women’s Cricket Tournament will bag PKR1million and the runners-up will get PKR500,000. Player of the match award winners will get PKR20,000 and the player of the tournament will get PKR 50,000.

Explaining the philosophy behind holding the tournament in two phases, Head of Women’s Cricket, Tania Mallick said: “I am thrilled to announce the upcoming Pakistan Cup Women’s Cricket Tournament in Karachi. This is a fantastic opportunity for our talented women cricketers to showcase their skills and compete against each other.

“We have planned the tournament in two phases to offer a diverse range of formats and challenges to the players. The first phase will feature four teams playing in the T20 format, providing valuable experience and preparation for our Pakistan Emerging team players, who will represent us in the Emerging ACC Women’s T20 Tournament later next month.

“The second phase of the tournament will see three teams competing in the one-day format, and I am confident that this phase will offer high-quality cricket and thrilling competition.”

Squads for the Pakistan Cup Women’s Cricket Tournament

Blasters: Muneeba Ali (captain), Aleena Shah, Anam Amin, Asma Amin, Ayesha Bilal, Ayesha Javed, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Fajar Naveed, Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Saba Nazir, Saiqa Riaz, Zaib-un-Nisa and Zunera Shah

Support staff: Mauhtashim Rashid (head coach), Nahida Bibi (assistant coach), Qurat ul Ain Kazmi (manager) and Areesha Anwar (physiotherapist)

Challengers: Sadia Iqbal (captain), Aima Saleem, Amber Kainat, Areesha Noor, Fareeha Mehmood, Fatima Zehra, Huraina Sajjad, Javeria Khan, Javeria Rauf, Kaynat Hafeez, Maham Tariq, Masooma Zehra, Noreen Yaqoob, Saima Malik and Warda Yousaf

Support staff: Taufeeq Umar (head coach), Hajra Sarwar (assistant coach), Shagufta Kazim (manager) and Bisma Ahmed (Physiotherapist)

Dynamites: Sidra Amin (captain), Aliya Riaz, Bismah Maroof, Fatima Shahid, Ghulam Fatima, Humna Bilal, Khadija Chishti, Laiba Nasir, Maham Manzoor, Nashra Sundhu, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sidra Nawaz, Waheeda Akhtar and Yusra Amir

Support staff: Waseem Yousafi (head coach), Rehmat Gull (assistant coach), Saira Iftikhar (manager) and Ammara Fatima (physiotherapist)

Strikers: Fatima Sana (captain), Anoosha Nasir, Dua Majid, Eyman Fatima, Fatima Khan, Gull Feroza, Gulrukh, Lubna Behram, Najiha Alvi, Natalia Parvaiz, Sadaf Shamas, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tuba Hassan and Umm-e-Hani

Support staff: Mohsin Kamal (head coach), Muhammad Kamran (assistant coach), Aisha Jalil (manager) and Rabia Siddiq (physiotherapist)

Tournament schedule (matches to start at 9am):

First phase (T20 format)

19 May – Dynamites vs Blasters, State Bank Ground
Challengers vs Strikers, Oval Academy Ground.

20 May –Dynamites vs Challengers, State Bank Ground
Blasters vs Strikers, Oval Academy Ground.

21 May –Dynamites vs Strikers, State Bank Ground
Blasters vs Challengers, Oval Academy Ground.

Second phase (50-over format)

23 May – Blasters vs Dynamites, State Bank Ground
25 May –Blasters vs Challengers, State Bank Ground
27 May –Dynamites vs Challengers, State Bank Ground
29 May – Dynamites vs Blasters, State Bank Ground
31 May – Challengers vs Blasters, State Bank Ground
2 June – Challengers vs Dynamites, State Bank Ground
4 June – Final, State Bank Ground

Central Punjab thrash Balochistan to win Pakistan Cup

KARACHI: Tayyab Tahir and Ahmed Shehzad slammed magnificent half-centuries before bowlers displayed a combined bowling effort to power Central Punjab (CP) to down Balochistan by 50 runs and claim the Pakistan Cup title.

Batting first, CP managed to raise 254 in the final before bundling out in the 49th over. In-form batters Tahir and Shehzad led the way for the side as they both scored half-centuries.

Shehzad scored 61 off 87 deliveries with the help of three boundaries and a six and gave his side a solid start before Tahir came to the party.

Tahir then made the most of the decent start provided by the openers and top-scored for his side with a magnificent knock of 71 off 72 balls with the help of five boundaries and two sixes.

Besides Shehzad and Tahir, opening batter Imran Butt (37), skipper Aamer Yamin (34) and all-rounder Usama Mir (30) remained the notable run-getters for CP in the final.

Mohammad Junaid led the bowling attack for Balochistan as he bagged a five-wicket haul for just 56 runs, while Kashif Bhatti bagged two wickets.

Set to chase 255, Balochistan batting line-up failed completely and could score 204 in response despite a magnificent 70-run knock from Bismillah Khan.

The wicketkeeper batter top-scored for his side with a fighting knock of 70 off 77 deliveries including eight boundaries. However, no support from the other end barred Balochistan from sailing through.

Opening batter Imran Butt (30) remained the other notable run-scorer for Balochistan after Bismillah, while the rest of the batters failed to chip in in the run chase and thus, CP clinched the victory and lifted the title.

Ali Shafique picked up three wickets for CP, while Mohammad Ali and Zafar Gohar took two each. Usama, Qasim Akram and Yamin struck out a batter each.

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Nawaz, Shahnawaz, Sajid available for tomorrow’s Pakistan Cup matches

LAHORE: National cricketers Mohammad Nawaz, Shahnawaz Dahani and Sajid Khan have been made available to their respective domestic sides for the December 27 fixture of the ongoing Pakistan Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Monday.

According to the details, the decision came into effect following the discussion between Pakistan’s head coach and selection committee in a bid to allow players to get match time under their belts and make a case for their selection for the three ICC Men’s Super League One-Day Internationals against New Zealand.

“The move will allow players to continue to get match time under their belts and make a case for their selection for the three ICC Men’s Super League One-Day Internationals against New Zealand in January,” said PCB in a statement.

Meanwhile, the PCB, however, clarified that the mentioned players will still be part of the squad for the ongoing Test series against New Zealand.

“These players will continue to remain part of the Pakistan Test squad for the New Zealand series,” the statement added.

It is worth mentioning that Sajid and Dahani were among the three players added to Pakistan’s Test squad by the newly-formed interim selection committee led by former captain Shahid Afridi on Saturday.

Whereas, Mir Hamza has been retained for the Test series as he was named in the Playing XI against New Zealand.

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