Khyber Pakhtunkhwa registered their fifth win of the National T20 as they outclassed Balochistan by 55 runs in the 15th match of the tournament played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Saturday evening.
Set a 203 run target (most for the ongoing tournament), Balochistan limped to 147 for nine in their allotted 20 overs. Sohail Akhtar was the only one to give a decent fight to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bowlers as the right-hander hit five sixes and two fours in his 61 off 43 balls.
Opener Abdullah Shafique with 24, Haris Sohail and Umaid Asif with 17 runs each were the only other batters to reach double figures.
Balochistan had crashed to 83 for seven in their chase before Sohail brought some late-order fight to narrow the defeat margin for his side.
All-rounder Asif Afridi (player of the match) took three wickets for only eight runs from his wily left-arm-spin. Fast bowler Arshad Iqbal took three wickets for 16 runs. Shaheen Shah Afridi took two wickets for 30 runs.
Earlier, Balochistan’s makeshift captain Bismillah Khan won the toss and opted to field. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa openers Israrullah and Mohammad Rizwan cut loose after a cautious start. Israrullah was dismissed by Amad Butt for 19 with the wicket falling at 43.
Rizwan added 37 with Sahibzada Farhan before falling to Kashif Bhatti for 40 (34 balls, five fours, one six). Asif who was promoted as a pinch-hitter scored 16 off four balls (two sixes, one four). Iftikhar Ahmed carried the momentum with a blazing 36 off 18 balls (four fours, two sixes). Farhan top-scored for the side with 43 off 31 balls (five fours, one six).
Musadiq Ahmed and Adil Amin added 42 for the unbroken sixth-wicket partnership to propel KP past the 200-run mark. Musadiq remained unbeaten on 17 while Adil scored 26 off 13 (three fours, one six). Kashif Bhatti took two wickets for Balochistan.
Brief Scores:
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa beat Balochistan by 55 runs.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 202 for 5, 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 43, Mohammad Rizwan 40, Iftikhar Ahmed 36; Kashif Bhatti 2-34)
Balochistan 147 for 9, 20 overs (Sohail Akhtar 61 not out, Abdullah Shafique 24; Asif Afridi 3-8, Arshad Iqbal 3-16)
Player of the match: Asif Afridi.