KARACHI: Debutants Fata Cheetahs almost achieved a sensational win when their Group ‘B’ fixture in the Faysal Bank T20 Cup against Karachi Zebras culminated in a one-run heartbreak at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad on Friday.

After experiencing a frustrating Thursday when the Cheetahs’ opener against Multan Tigers was washed out, as did the remaining four games on tournament’s opening day, the side from the tribal areas were dismissed for 96 on the last ball of the match that was reduced to 14-over per side after a late start.

The Zebras, put into bat, mustered 97-5 with Hasan Raza, who opened the innings, contributing 45 off 36 balls while striking four fours and one six.

Captain Faisal Iqbal blasted two sixes in making 23 off 20 balls during the 66-run partnership with Man-of-the-Match Hasan.

The Cheetahs lost Saeed Khan for second-ball but his opening partner Kushdil Shah (38 off 32 balls, three fours and two sixes) his team in the game until the Zebras hit back with late wickets to collect two invaluable points.

Scoreboard

KARACHI ZEBRAS:

Fakhar Zaman c Kushdil b Asif Afridi 18

Hasan Raza c Kushdil b Shakeel 45

Akbar-ur-Rehman b Asif Ali 2

Faisal Iqbal c Inamullah b Asif Afridi 23

Tanvir Ahmed st Rehan b Asif Afridi 1

Tariq Haroon not out 0

Fahad Iqbal not out 3

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-1) 5

TOTAL (for five wkts, 14 overs) 97

FALL OF WKTS: 1-29, 2-31, 3-87, 4-94, 5-94.

DID NOT BAT: Javed Mansoor, Tabish Khan, Haris Ayaz, Shahzaib Ahmed Khan.

BOWLING: Riaz Afridi 2-0-5-0 (1w); Abdul Mannan 2-0-19-0; Asif Afridi 3-0-11-3; Asif Ali 3-0-26-1; Shakeel Shah 3-0-25-1; Inamullah 1-0-7-0.

FATA CHEETAHS:

Saeed Khan c Tanvir b Tabish 0

Kushdil Shah run out 38

Asad Afridi lbw b Tariq 1

Rehan Afridi run out 0

Almar Afridi c Tanvir b Akbar 14

Asif Afridi c Tariq b Shahzaib 6

Inamullah c Javed b Tabish 11

Asif Ali b Akbar 16

Shakeel Shah run out 1

Abdul Mannan not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-5, NB-2) 8

TOTAL (all out, 14 overs) 96

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-5, 3-29, 4-48, 5-60, 6-60, 7-65, 8-94, 9-94.

BOWLING: Tabish Khan 3-0-20-2 (2w); Tariq Haroon 2-0-16-1 (1w); Haris Ayaz 3-0-20-0 (1nb, 1w); Shahzaib Ahmed Khan 3-0-23-2 (1w); Akbar-ur-Rehman 3-0-16-2.

RESULT: Karachi Zebras won by one run.

UMPIRES: Ijaz Ahmed and Majid Hussain.

MATCH REFEREE: Zaigham Burki.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Hasan Raza.