July 25, 2008	Friday	Rajab 21, 1429

KARACHI, July 24: South Zone thrashed North Zone by six wickets and Central Zone Greens beat Central Zone Blue by 14 runs in the Women’s National Twenty20 Quadrangular Championship at the Quaid-i-Azam Cricket Park on Thursday.

The low-scoring match between South and North Zones saw North putting on 77 runs for the loss of eight wickets after South, on winning the toss, put them in to bat.

None of North’s batswomen managed to stay at the crease for long, their highest scorers being opener Naila Nazir (23) and Maryam Hasan who remained not out with 19.

South, in their turn, managed to reach the target in 17.4 overs. Their opener and off-break bowler Sana Mir with 23 runs was named Woman of the Match. North’s skipper Qanita Jalil and Maryam Hasan bowled economically with both picking up a valuable wicket each.

The second match between Central Zone Blues, a strong side with several national team players, and Central Zone Greens saw Blues winning the toss and putting Greens in to bat.

Greens’ skipper Asmavia Iqbal led from the front by remaining not out with a fine 37 in her team’s total of 117. Opener Arman Khan also made a spectacular 30 with the help of six fours during her 26-minute stay at the crease.

In reply, Blues after losing several quick wickets, could only come up with 103. Bad luck began for Blues with the early dismissal of the series’ best batswoman Bismah Maroof who was caught and bowled by Asmavia after making only 11. Middle-order Almas Akram became their highest scorer with 33 runs that included three fours and one six.

Greens’ off-break bowler Asfa Batool picked up four wickets for 14 in her tight four-over spell.

The Woman of the Match prize was shared by Greens’ Asfa Batool and Asmvia Iqbal.

Summarised scores:

NORTH ZONE 77-8 in 20 overs (Naila Nazir 23, Marium Hasan 19, Wajiha Sundas 11; Masooma Junaid 3-13, Sana Mir 2-9); SOUTH ZONE 78-4 in 17.4 overs (Sana Mir 23, Nain Abidi 19, Javeria Khan 10, Sajjida Shah 10 not out).

CENTRAL ZONE GREENS 117-9 in 20 overs (Asmavia Iqbal 37 not out, Arman Khan 30, Anam Zehra 13, Nazia Nazir 11; Sabahat Rasheed 2-24, Marina Iqbal 2-30); CENTRAL ZONE BLUES 103-8 in 20 overs (Almas Akram 33, Marina Iqbal 20, Zeba Manzoor 17 not out, Bismah Maroof 11; Asfa Batool 4-14, Sadia Yousuf 2-14).