KARACHI: Left-arm seamers Mohammad Zeeshan and Abdullah Ijaz shared six wickets between as Punjab whipped Balochistan by 10 wickets to claim the fifth NBP Disabled T20 Pentangular Cup title after a one-sided final in Multan on Friday.

Abdullah Ijaz’s decision to insert the opposition into bat at the District Sports Ground paid off very well as Balochistan were shot out for a paltry total of 48 in 10.4 overs. Man-of-the-match Zeeshan led the way by grabbing three wickets for only six runs in 2.1 overs, while Abdullah himself took 3-20 while off-spinner Mohammad Abid had figures of 2-11.

Punjab needed just 6.2 overs to score the required 49 runs. Shahbaz Ali clobbered four boundaries and one six in making 33 from 25 deliveries, while his opening partner Iftikhar Khurram scored 10 off14 balls.

Punjab collected the winners’ trophy and cash award of Rs50,000 from chief guest Mohammad Farrukh Ghauri, the regional head of NBP Multan.

Balochistan captain Jahanzeb Tiwana received the runners-up trophy and Rs25,000.

Sindh skipper Rao Javed got the best batsman prize for making 112 runs in the tournament; the best bowler award went to Balochistan’s Mohammad Ameer for his tally of seven wickets; Abdullah Ijaz was adjudged the player-of-the-tournament for scoring 80 runs and claiming eight wickets, while Ashfaq Ahmed was declared the best fielder for taking six wickets.

Also present at the presentation ceremony were honorary secretary of Pakistan Disabled Cricket Association (PDCA) Amiruddin Ansari, who was also the tournament director, tournament secretary Jameel Kamran, PDCA director Rameez Ghaziyani, protocol officer of NBP Multan Mohammad Naveed Shahzad and media manager Mohammad Nizam.

Summarised scores:

BALOCHISTAN 48 in 20 overs (Mohammad Zeeshan 3-6, Abdullah Ijaz 3-20, Abid Hussain 2-11); PUNJAB 49-0 in 7.5 overs (Shahbaz Ali 33 not out, Iftikhar Khurram 10 not out).

Published in Dawn, August 31th, 2014