RAWALPINDI - Opener Adeel Khan helped Peshawar thrashed Abbottabad by 53 runs in the 6th National Disabled T20 Cricket Championship 2017-18 inaugural match played here at Pindi Stadium on Tuesday.
The match was reduced to 16 overs each innings. Abbottabad Region skipper Humayyun Khan won the toss and decided to field first. Adeel smashed 4 boundaries and as many sixes to gather 20-ball 46 which helped Peshawar post massive 191-6 on the board in 16 overs. Izhar Khan hit quick-fire 45 studded with 9 fours while Wajid scored 33 and Hayat Khan 25. Abbottabad bowlers conceded 20 extras. Rehmat bowled well and bagged 3-42 while Yasir Ali picked 2-31 and Humayyon 1-25. Chasing a mammoth total of 192, Abbottabad could score 138-8 in allotted overs. Faisal Hayat and Latif Ullah provided solid opening stand. Faisal slammed 48, Latif 27 and M Hussian 24. Abbottababd were restricted to 138. Usama was pick of the Peshawar bowlers with 3-17, while Gohar bagged 3-26 and skipper Nihar Ahmed got 1-27. Shakeel Ahmed was official scorer.
Hats off to once again Pindi Stadium curator M Riaz and his ground staff, who prepared the stadium for the match. The entire venue was presenting swimming pool like view, due to Tuesday’s heavy downpour, but Riaz and his team worked for several hours and ensured the match start at 2pm, just half an hour later than the schedule time of 1:30pm. Pindi Stadium manager Shoukat Jadoon was also very much present on the spot and provided much-needed support to the ground staff.
Earlier, Pakistan Disabled Cricket Association (PDCA) president former Test cricketer Rashid Latif along with chairman Shamim Kaleem, Amir-ud-din Ansari, head coach Sabih Azhar, PTCL representative Syed Shahzad, who was also the chief guest on the occasion, ICRC representative and others were also present on the occasion. All the participating eight teams were lined up before they were introduced with the chief guest. The national anthem was aired and it was highly disciplined event for which the organisers deserve due credit. Only one match was possible due to overnight rains, which made it impossible to start matches at Diamond and National grounds while the first match of the day at Pindi Stadium was also washed out.
Speaking on the occasion, Rashid Latif thanked sponsors and players for making this event possible. “The first leg was played at Karachi and now the second leg is being held at Pindi and Islamabad. I thank Islamabad and Rawalpindi regions for providing venues, ground staff and other support. I am also grateful to PCB for lending a helping hand. It is my request to sports journalists and spectators to come in numbers and cover the event, which will surely be action-packed.”
Chief guest Syed Shahzad said he is astonished to witness such discipline of disabled players. “I could not have dreamt about such festivity, which impressed me a lot. I am looking forward to witness the live action and promise to provide the best possible assistance for this noble cause.” Sharing his views, the ICRC representative promised to continue to support the PDCA in future too.
