KARACHI: Former Test batsman Yasir Hameed played a sparkling innings but his heroics went wasted as Punjab clinched a three-wicket win in the second match of the PCB Taqreebat-e-Azadi T20 Cup in Peshawar on Friday.

Playing for his native province, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the 36-year-old who sadly faded away after a sensational twin-century Test debut against Bangladesh at Karachi in August 2003, scored 70 as the home team posted 165-4 at the Arbab Niaz Stadium.

Yasir’s dominant 52-ball effort was embellished with nine boundaries after Punjab skipper Kamran Akmal had opted to field after beating Umar Gul on the spin of the coin at the toss.

Fakhar Zaman, the upcoming left-hander, also made good impression during the second-wicket partnership of 67 with Yasir after the early loss of opener Mohammad Yasin who was caught behind off the now fit-again giant Pakistan left-arm seamer Mohammad Irfan.

Fakhar, who has now gone back to his Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (the place from where his family actually hails) a couple of months after learning playing cricket in Karachi, struck six boundaries in making 37 from 27 deliveries.

Pakistan pace-bowling all-rounder Bilawal Bhatti accounted for both Fakhar and Yasir, while Irfan also finished with a brace of wickets — his second victim being discarded Pakistan all-rounder Hammad Azam (22 off 16, two fours) — on his way to an excellent haul of 2-14 in four overs, including the only maiden over of the match.

Mohammad Rizwan, the wicket-keeper who was an understudy with the national squad not long ago, provided a late impetus with an unbeaten 29 — his 13-ball cameo featuring three strikes to the boundary.

Slow left-armer Zulfiqar Babar went wicketless but paceman Ehsan Adil had a forgetful game as his four overs yielded 56 runs in favour of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Punjab did not have an easy outing in their chase as they lost seven wickets before getting over the line with one over left. The bowler who caused trouble was left-arm speedster Usman Khan Shinwari.

Returning after a long layoff through injury following an unexpected T20 debut for Pakistan last year, Usman rattled the Punjab line-up by sending back internationals Kamran Akmal (4), Sohaib Maqsood (20 off 15 balls, one six and one four) as well as Asif Ali (22 off 17, two fours and one six) and the left-handed Ali Waqas (20 off nine, two fours and one six).

Babar Azam (41 off 38, seven boundaries) held the innings together before Bilawal provided finishing touches by hammering 24 from only eight balls with three fours and one six.

Usman finished with 4-34 with fellow paceman Imran Khan taking two but there was no suck luck for the Pakistan star Umar Gul; the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa captain gave away 20 runs from his three overs.

Rizwan excelled with five victims behind the stumps, including four catches.

Yasir Hameed was adjudged man-of-the-match as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa prepared to travel down to Karachi for the fixture against Sindh at the National Stadium on Sunday.

Scoreboard

Mohammad Yasin c Kamran b Irfan2

Yasir Hameed c Babar Azam b Bilawal70

Fakhar Zaman b Bilawal37

Hammad Azam c Ali Waqas b Irfan22

Mohammad Rizwan not out29

Umar Gul not out1

EXTRAS (W-2, NB-2)4

TOTAL (for four wkts, 20 overs)165

FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-71, 3-132, 4-137.

DID NOT BAT: Afaq Raheem, Yasir Shah, Imran Khan, Raza Hasan, Usman Khan Shinwari.

BOWLING: Mohammad Irfan 4-1-14-2; Ehsan Adil 4-0-56-0 (2nb, 1w); Bilawal Bhatti 4-0-31-2; Zulfiqar Babar 4-0-39-0; Saad Nasim 4-0-25-0.

PUNJAB:

Kamran Akmal c Rizwan b Usman4

Babar Azam c Rizwan b Imran41

Haris Sohail b Imran10

Sohaib Maqsood c Yasin b Usman20

Asif Ali c Rizwan b Usman22

Ali Waqas c Rizwan b Usman20

Saad Nasim st Rizwan b Raza7

Bilawal Bhatti not out24

Ehsan Adil not out5

EXTRAS (LB-6, W-5, NB-2)13

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 19 overs)166

FALL OF WKTS: 1-13, 2-47, 3-73, 4-102, 5-106, 6-116, 7-160.

DID NOT BAT: Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Irfan.

BOWLING: Umar Gul 3-0-20-0 (1w); Usman Khan Shinwari 4-0-34-4 (2nb, 3w); Raza Hasan 3-0-15-1; Imran Khan 4-0-33-2; Yasir Shah 4-0-44-0 (1w); Hammad Azam 1-0-14-0.

RESULT: Punjab won by three wickets.

UMPIRES: Iqbal Butt and Naushad Khan.

TV UMPIRE: Hakeem Shah.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH:Yasir Hameed.

NEXT MATCH: Sindh vs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Karachi on Sunday).

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2014