RAWALPINDI - Kamran Akmal helped Lahore Whites thrash Lahore Blues by nine wickets in the National T20 Cool & Cool Presents Jazz Cup 2016 match two played here at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Butt remained unbeaten after scoring 84 off 56 balls with the help of 13 fours and two sixes, while Kamran Akmal slammed 40-ball 81 hitting 11 fours and two massive sixes. Kamran and Butt gave Whites whirlwind start as they hammered blues bowlers at will, as the pair put on 100-run stand without being separated in 9 overs. Kamran got charmed life, when he was dropped at 26, when Whites total was 74 in 7.1 overs. Whites finally lost first wicket at 163 in 15 overs when Kamran was playing at 81. Imran took the only wicket. Kamran Akmal was named man of the match.
Earlier, Lahore Whites won the toss and elected to field first. Thanks to brilliant half century (53) by Naved Yasin. Blues posted 182-5 in 20 overs. Naved hit six fours and one six in his innings, while Nasir Jamshed made 46 hitting 7 fours and 2 sixes. Amad Butt captured 3-34.
It was quite strange policy of the PCB, which at one end punished Ahmed Shahzad for disciplinary grounds, but on the other hand, named him skipper of Blues team. Blues were all set to score more than 200 at one stage when Naved and Nasir were at the crease, but after their departure, runs were hard to come by, as Whites bowlers staged tremendous comeback to restrict Blues to less than 200.
Earlier, in the inaugural match of the event, Karachi Region Blues outclassed Karachi Whites by 9 runs in a keenly-contested match. Blues skipper won the toss and opted to bat first, but the decision suffered body blow in the first over, as Test discarded Khurrum Manzoor was out without troubling the scorers on the third delivery of the first over.
Shahzaib Hassan, however, batted sensibly and hammered stylish 60 with the help of 6 fours and 1 six, while Bilawal Bhatti contributed 21 to help Blues post 158-8 on the board in the allotted overs. Azam Hussain was pick of Whites bowlers as he claimed 2-23, while Mir Hamza chipped in with 2-27 and Tabish Khan 2-36. Karachi Whites, in reply, could score 149-8. T20 specialist Tariq Haroon was top scorer with 28 while Akbar-ur-Rehman added 25.
M Sami grabbed 3-29 while off-spin magician Saeed Ajmal also bowled brilliantly and bagged 2-21. Shahzaib Hassan was named player of the match. Rawalpindi Region Cricket Association president Major (R) Naeem Gilani and Shafiq Papa were the chief guests and distributed man-of-the-match award. Ahsan Raza and Rashid Riaz were field umpires, Ishtiaq Ahmed referee and Shakeel Khan was official scorer.
The empty stadium was presenting a deserted look as tournament organising committee failed to devise a clear-cut plan. Had the entry was made free for all in general stands, the things could have been far different. The families and youngsters turned up in quite good numbers, but security forces at Shamsabad and main gate deprived them of entering the ground.
The PCB top brass should have kept in mind that the commoners should have been allowed entry at least in the general stands. The proper planning could have easily packed the stadium well beyond capacity as Rawalpindi is well-known to pull massive crowds. The washrooms were without water while the entire place was stinking.
Where have all the tall claims of the organising committee gone only? There are still a few days left in the matches, so the organising committee must ensure free for all in general stands. Rawalpindi team will be in action today (Friday). The jam-packed crowd is almost guaranteed, but it depends on organising committee’s behavior, as if they keep on busy in accommodating near and dear ones, then there is every possibility that stands will remain empty, but if the commonsense prevails, then things will be completely different.