THE conclusion of the Faysal Bank National One-day Cup proved to be a damp squib as the final between Karachi Zebras and Lahore Lions was abandoned after just 8.5 overs of play was possible on Saturday at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.

With rain, which was threatening all day, arrived at the wrong time to disrupt the day/night fixture forcing the teams to equally share the prize-money of Rs750,000 allocated for the final and the trophy.

The inevitable delayed start to the normal 2:30pm start 50-over per side game initially reduced the match to 46 overs per innings when the toss, won by Lions skipper Azhar Ali, took place. But as just that exercise was completed more rain prevented start until 4:30pm while further curtailing the title-decider to 40 overs.

But just as the Zebras had tamed the Lions by restricting them to 37-1, the heavens opened again to ensure there would be no play, although the cut-off time was set for 8:02pm. Umpires Sajid Afridi and Saqib Khan along with the match referee Khateeb Rizwan waited for a while before finally putting everyone out of their misery by making the official announcement at 7:00pm that the match has been abandoned and declared a no-result.

Multan Tigers’ Sohaib Maqsood was adjudged as the tournament’s best batsman for making 475 runs in six matches; Bilawal Bhatti of Sialkot Stallions best bowler for claiming 14 wickets in seven matches; Karachi Dolphins’ Sarfraz Ahmed best wicket-keeper for making 15 dismissing (10 catches and five stumpings) in seven matches; Shahid Yousuf of Sialkot Stallions best fielder for holding eight catches in seven matches.