FAISALABAD: Peshawar Panthers seamer Imran Khan Jr celebrates after taking a return catch to dismiss Abbottabad Falcons batsman Fakhar Zaman (back to the camera) during the Super 8 T20 Cup match at the Iqbal Stadium on Wednesday.—Courtesy PCB

KARACHI: Riffatullah Mohmand and Mohammad Rizwan produced excellent knocks as Peshawar Panthers kept alive their semi-final aspirations alive with a six-wicket win over Abbottabad Falcons in the Cool & Cool presents Hair Super 8 T20 Cup in Faisalabad on Wednesday.

Veteran opener Riffatullah inspired the chase for 179 at the Iqbal Stadium with a breathtaking attack on the Falcons bowling which yielded the 38-year-old right-hander a career-best 78.

Giving Pakistan spearhead Junaid Khan — leading the Falcons in the absence of Younis Khan — and Test leg-spinner Yasir Shah the respect they deserved, Riffatullah was merciless on other bowlers as he blasted 10 boundaries and four sixes. Gangling paceman Ahmed Jamal was struck for three fours and a six in the second over of the innings, which went for 21 runs.

Remarkably, Israrullah was out to Junaid for a first-ball duck at the start of the third over, but by that time the Panthers had already 32 runs on the board.

Bu the time man-of-the-match Riffatullah was bowled by Ahmed on the penultimate ball of the 10th over, the national T20 champions were well on their way to first victory of the event at 102-2.

Rizwan then effortlessly posted a half century, finishing the Group ‘A’ match in a flurry of strokes against the luckless Ahmed. Needing 16 from the final two overs, Rizwan settled the issue in the 19th itself, striking Ahmed (156 in four overs) for a six and three fours.

Earlier Falcons opener Sajjad Ali hit his maiden T20 half century after Junaid decided to bat first at the toss. The right-hander slammed 10 boundaries in scoring 52 off 35 balls before Adnan Raees (an undefeated 45 off 24, three sixes and three fours) and all-rounder Kamran Ghulam (32 off 20, two fours and one six) provided the impetus their team needed.

At the time of filing this report, the other Group ‘A’ fixture between Sialkot Stallions and Rawalpindi Rams was being played.

Meanwhile, Tuesday’s much anticipated late evening Group ‘B’ clash between Lahore Lions and Karachi Dolphins was abandoned without a ball being delivered because of heavy rain which had actually started in the earlier match that resulted in Faisalabad Wolves declared winners over Multan Tigers by seven runs under the Duckworth-Lewis Method.

Scoreboard

ABBOTTABAD FALCONS:

Yasir Hameed run out 20

Sajjad Ali c Imran Jr b Zohaib 52

Fakhar Zaman c and b Imran Jr 20

Adnan Raees not out 45

Kamran Ghulam b Imran Khan 32

Khalid Usman not out 6

Extras (w-3) 3

Total (for four wkts, 20 overs) 178

FALL OF WKTS: 1-66, 2-78, 3-116, 4-172.

DID NOT BAT: Waqar Orakzai, Shakeel Ahmed, Yasir Shah, Junaid Khan, Ahmed Jamal.

BOWLING: Taj Wali 3-0-35-0; Imran Khan 4-0-30-1 (1w); Imran Khan Jr 4-0-39-1; Zohaib Khan 4-0-34-1 (1w); Adil Amin 2-0-20-0 (1w); Iftikhar Ahmed 3-0-20-0.

PESHAWAR PANTHERS:

Riffatullah Mohmand b Ahmed Jamal 78

Israrullah lbw b Junaid 0

Iftikhar Ahmed run out 22

Adil Amin b Kamran 16

Mohammad Rizwan not out 51

Mohammad Fayyaz not out 9

Extras (lb-1, w-3, nb-2) 6

Total (for four wkts, 19 overs) 182

FALL OF WKTS: 1-32, 2-102, 3-105, 4-134.

DID NOT BAT: Zohaib Khan, Gohar Ali, Imran Khan, Taj Wali, Imran Khan Jr.

BOWLING: Junaid Khan 3-0-19-1; Ahmed Jamal 4-0-56-1 (3w); Khalid Usman 3-0-32-0; Kamran Ghulam 3-0-24-1; Yasir Shah 4-0-26-0; Shakeel Ahmed 2-0-24-0 (1nb).

RESULT: Peshawar Panthers won by six wickets.

UMPIRES: Tahir Rasheed and Zameer Haider.

TV UMPIRE: Tahir Hussain.

Match referee: Ishtiaq Ahmed.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Riffatullah Mohmand.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2015

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