KP, Sindh complete Rawalpindi leg on winning note

LAHORE - 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 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. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded the first 200-plus score of the tournament, thanks to unbeaten 38 in just 11 balls by M Sarwar Afridi, who helped KP score 201-5 after captain Khalid Usman elected to bat. Aamer Azmat (22*) duly supported him. KP were provided a solid start from Sahibzada Farhan (48 off 33) and Kamran Ghulam (57 off 38) with an 84-run second wicket stand. When it came to defending the towering target, pacers M Imran and Imran Khan Sr bowled brilliantly and grabbed 4-28 and 2-29 respectively. Meanwhile, left-handed opener Saim Ayub played a brilliant knock of 56 in Sindh’s six-wicket win over Southern Punjab. Saim struck seven fours and two sixes and provided a solid start to the run chase with Sharjeel Khan, who blasted 49 in 26 balls (4 fours and 4 sixes). SCORES IN BRIEF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA: 201-5, 20 overs (Kamran Ghulam 57, Sahibzada Farhan 48, Mohammad Sarwar Afridi 38*; Haris Sohail 2-10, Kashif Bhatti 2-25) beat BALOCHISTAN 174 all out, 18.5 overs (Yasir Shah 44, Haris Sohail 39; Mohammad Imran 4-28, Imran Khan Snr 2-29) by 27 runs. SINDH 181-4, 19.2 overs (Saim Ayub 56, Omair Bin Yousuf 54*, Sharjeel Khan 49; Hassan Khan 2-21) beat SOUTHERN PUNJAB 175-6, 20 overs (Hassan Khan 48*, Zain Abbas 48; Abrar Ahmed 3-30).  

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