KARACHI: Mohammad Javed’s hurricane unbeaten knock of 159 powered Karachi Factdate Engineering to a resounding 169-run victory over Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) in the 18th National Seniors Cup Cricket Tournament 2016-17 here at the Naya Nazimabad Lawai Stadium on Sunday.

In the other match of the day at the same venue, Karachi Rashid Latif Academy (RLCA) overcame Karachi Mannan Veterans by an equally impressive margin of 126 runs.

A record number of 111 teams from every nook and corner of the country are participating in the tournament, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA) for the eighteenth year running. A total of 210 matches are due to be held this season with the national final set to be contested between the champions of Northern Zone and Southern Zone in Lahore on Jan 29, 2017.

Electing to bat, after winning the toss, Karachi Factdate Engineering plundereda formidable 245 runs for the loss of only three wickets in the allotted 20 overs against SSGC. The carnage was led by Mohammad Javed, who whacked 11 sixes and 15 fours in his unbeaten 159 off only 64 balls. He was supported by opener Atif Ahmed who hit three sixes and eight fours in his breezy 62 off 35 overs.

SSGC, in reply, were skittled out for just 76 in 18 overs with the wickets being shared between the spin trio of Hasrat Nawaz (2-6), Imran Ansari (2-8) and Mairaj Ali (2-9).

RLCA, who also batted first after calling correctly, posted a healthy total of 231 for six off 20 overs against Karachi Mannan Veterans with major contributions coming from Omar Masood (77 off 47 balls), Ghulam Ali (42 off 23 balls) and Aziz-ur-Rahman (30 off 17 balls).

In reply, Karachi Mannan Veterans collapsed from 32 for no wicket to 105 all out in 17.4 overs as the innings was rocked by left-arm seamer Nasir Kaka (4-31) and off-spinner Saif Khan (3-14).

Published in Dawn December 6th, 2016