Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s extraordinary run in the Kingdom Valley National T20 Cup 2022-23 continued as they completed the Rawalpindi leg of the tournament on Wednesday with five wins from as many matches. Mohammad Sarwar Afridi’s whirlwind 38 not out helped Khyber Pakhtunkhwa put the first 200-plus score of this year’s edition. Balochistan fell 27 runs short of the 202-run target.
Saim Ayub’s half-century scripted Sindh’s six-wicket win over Southern Punjab in the second match of the day. This is Sindh’s third win of the tournament.
The action now moves to Multan from 10 September. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the winners of the last two editions, sit comfortably at the top of the points table with 10 points. Balochistan follow them with six points. Sindh, locked with Balochistan on points, are third, while Northern and Southern Punjab are fourth and fifth. Central Punjab, who could manage only one win in five matches, are languishing at the bottom.
Sarwar Afridi’s swashbuckling 11-ball 38 not out stuns Balochistan
While Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s perfect title defence continued, they also recorded the first 200-plus score of the tournament, thanks to a scintillating 38 not out in just 11 balls by Mohammad Sarwar Afridi.
Sarwar spanked three sixes and smashed four fours to lift Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to 201 for five after his captain Khalid Usman elected to bat. Aamer Azmat, who made 13-ball 22 not out, duly supported him, as the two added 49 runs in the last 19 balls.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, despite losing Mohammad Haris in the first over, were provided a solid start from Sahibzada Farhan (48 off 33) and Kamran Ghulam (57 off 38) with an 84-run second wicket stand.
Farhan struck seven fours and Kamran’s destructive half-century was studded with four sixes and as many fours.
When it came to defending the towering target, pacers Mohammad Imran and Imran Khan Snr provided their side regular breakthroughs as Balochistan were bowled out for 174 with seven balls spare.
Mohammad Imran finished with four for 28 and Imran Khan Snr returned two for 29. Sarwar made his presence felt in the second innings as well with two wickets, however, he was a touch expensive leaking 43 runs in four overs.
Balochistan captain Yasir Shah and Haris Sohail scored 44 off 27 and 39 off 19. All-rounder Hussain Talat and Kashif Bhatti made 24 each, off 17 and nine balls, respectively, but Balochistan never fully recovered from the top order collapse with Asad Shafiq, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai and Haseebullah falling inside 14 balls.
