Sarfaraz, Dahani star in Sindh’s four-wicket win over Northern
Rawalpindi: Sindh won a low-scoring thriller against Northern by four wickets to record their second successive victory in the National T20 Cup.
Sindh batters were forced to work hard for the 137-run target that Northern had set them. Captain Sarfaraz Ahmed (player of the match) added 45 runs for the sixth-wicket with Anwar Ali who for the second consecutive day played the finisher’s act fittingly for Sindh.
Sarfaraz who anchored the chase, remained undefeated on 42 off 41 balls (five fours), the right-hander hit the winning boundary off Haris Rauf’s penultimate over of the match. Anwar hit three fours and one six in his 31 off 23 balls before falling to Haris with the scores level.
Sharjeel Khan provided Sindh a flying start with a typically aggressive 43 off 25 balls (seven fours, one six). The left-hander was dismissed by Imad Wasim who took two wickets for 22 runs in his four overs.
Shan Masood (4), Khurram Manzoor (1) and Saud Shakeel (8) fell in quick succession as Sindh stumbled to 36 for three from 26 for no loss.
Batting first, Northern were bowled out for 136 runs with three balls to spare. From the start of the innings, Northern were put under pressure by Sindh’s accurate and penetrative bowling. Umar Amin (18) fell to pacer Mohammad Hasnain, Hasnain took an outstanding backwards running catch to send Zeeshan Malik packing.
Haider Ali (8), Shadab Khan (7) and Asif Ali (10) failed to get going as the Northern middle-order crumbled. All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz who was sent to bat at number four top-scored with 30 off 34 balls (two sixes).
Imad (18) and Haris (19 off nine balls, two sixes, one four) helped Northern get past the 130-run mark as Sindh maintained the pressure by taking wickets at regular intervals despite some big hits by Imad and Haris.
Shahnawaz Dahani produced another stellar T20 performance by taking three wickets for 26 runs in four overs. Leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood took two for 25 while Hasnain grabbed two for 40.
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