KARACHI: A workmanlike team effort in the field after Israrullah had struck an undefeated 153 propelled Peshawar into the National One-day Cup for Regions final with a 23-run defeat of Karachi Blues at the National Stadium here on Tuesday.

Powered by Israrullah’s superlative knock, Peshawar cruised into their second 50-over final in three seasons. The interest at the halfway point in the second semi-final remained whether Friday’s title-decider would be an all-Karachi affair following Karachi Whites’ clinical 70-run semi-final win over Islamabad on Monday.

But it never materialised and true to the forecast of Abdul Rehman, the shrewd head coach of Peshawar, during the truncated break between innings the visitors executed the given game-plan precisely to bowl out Karachi Blues for 280 in fading light.

Rehman, who had inspired Peshawar to successive National T20 titles, contended the pitch was on the slower side compared to the one that yielded 680 runs in Monday’s first semi-final.

“The reason we managed 303 was because of poor bowling from Karachi Blues. They gave too much width for Israrullah to free his arms and play those big shots,” Rehman told Dawn. “During the interval I told the bowlers that we have got [enough] runs on the board and what they should all do is bowl with discipline because I had already worked out how the pitch was going to play. ‘Just don’t give them room on either side’ was the simple message which I passed on to the lads.”

Karachi Blues had enough energy in their batting ranks and were poised to overtake what Peshawar had achieved in the first half of the day with five internationals, including a quartet of Test players, bolstering their playing XI.

But tactical blunders contributed to their downfall. Both Khalid Latif, the captain, and head coach Azam Khan were in disagreement over tinkering with the batting order after the openers ate up almost 17 overs in scoring 59.

When Saud Shakeel, who was one of four run-out victims during the innings, had followed his captain — trapped plumb in front for a 40-ball 28 by spinner Khalid Usman — back in the hut during the 24th over with 101 on the board, big-hitting Sohail Khan had nearly climbed down the pavilion stairs only to be bizarrely called back.

That lack of out-of-the-box thinking ensured Peshawar dictating terms on the field and the panic created by uncertain running between the wickets saw Rameez Aziz, Sohail and Owais Ahmed Rehmani joining Saud in committing hara-kiri.

KRCA president and PCB governing board member Prof Ejaz Ahmed Faruqi, who was present on and off, must have been bemused at the way Karachi Blues floundered in the run chase. But even he couldn’t do anything except mourn at another defeat of a side which won’t be featuring in topflight cricket next winter.

The look of despondency on the players’ faces portrayed a heartbreaking picture, a big contrast to the images when Karachi Blues won the city’s maiden T20 crown not long ago, with a thrilling three-win win over Karachi Whites at Multan.

The toss made no difference to either Khalid or Jamaluddin and both men got what they had planned when the Peshawar captain called correctly at the toss. After Mohammad Sami got Ashfaq Ahmed in the second over, Peshawar built a foundation of solidity through the 92-run partnership between Israrullah and Gauhar Ali (45 off 51 balls, four fours and one six).

Iftikhar Ahmed, one of only two internationals in the visiting side, offered a return catch to young left-arm spinner Mohammad Hassaan Khan while attempting sort of a posh stroke for only 15.

But Israrullah accelerated splendidly. Favouring the onside, the 27-year-old left-hander took advantage of the vacant space in the midwicket area where most of his 12 fours and five sixes were struck.

Sajid Khan also made a vital contribution of a 27-ball 37 (five boundaries) in the unbroken stand of 94 with Israrullah as Peshawar collected 97 from the last 10 overs of the innings.

Hassaan held four catches, including two of his own bowling, but conceded 72 runs in his 10 overs. Mohammad Asghar, the other southpaw who was sent to Australia to reinforce the Pakistan team, took 1-65 while Sami bowled well in taking 2-51.

Khurram held the innings together when the home team batted. And although he failed by only 13 runs from registering his 18th List A century, the right-hander’s 102-ball 87 (11 fours) took him to the top of batting chart of the tournament.

Jaahid Ali, a victim of illogical planning from the team think-tank, waged a belated charge but the task was beyond his reach. He was left stranded undefeated on 53 from 44 deliveries (six fours), while Hassaan hoisted the solitary six of the innings during his 10-ball cameo of 17.

Taj Wali, the left-arm paceman, bowled superbly in taking three for 32 with Khalid snaring 2-59.

Meanwhile, it is likely that former national chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed Sallu, who is currently advisor to the PCB chairman for South region, would represent the PCB chairman Shaharyar Mohammad Khan as the chief guest at the final’s prize-distribution ceremony.

Scoreboard

PESHAWAR:

Ashfaq Ahmed c Hassaan b Sami 1 Israrullah not out 153 Gauhar Ali c and b Hassaan 45 Iftikhar Ahmed c and b Hassaan 15 Akbar Badshah lbw b Sami 13 Jamaluddin c Hassaan b Asghar 21 Sajid Khan not out 37

EXTRAS (LB-5, W-12, NB-1) 18

TOTAL (for five wkts, 50 overs) 303

FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-94, 3-139, 4-174, 5-209.

DID NOT BAT: Khalid Usman, Imran Khan Sr, Shah Faisal, Taj Wali.

BOWLING: Sohail Khan 10-0-56-0 (3w); Mohammad Sami 10-0-51-2 (1nb, 3w); Mohammad Asghar 10-0-65-1; Rameez Aziz 10-0-54-0 (2w); Mohammad Hassaan Khan 10-0-72-2.

KARACHI BLUES:

Khurram Manzoor c Gauhar b Taj 87 Khalid Latif lbw b Khalid 28 Saud Shakeel run out 12 Fawad Alam c Israrullah b Imran 30 Rameez Aziz run out 24 Sohail Khan run out 8 Jaahid Ali not out 53 Owais Ahmed Rehmani run out 1 Mohammad Sami c Imran b Khalid 10 M, Hassaan Khan b Taj 17 Mohammad Asghar c Gauhar b Taj 3

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-5) 7

TOTAL (all out, 47.4 overs) 280

FALL OF WKTS: 1-59, 2-101, 3-155, 4-160, 5-175, 6-199, 7-211, 8-234, 9-268.

BOWLING: Imran Khan Sri 9-0-55-1 (1w); Taj Wali 8.4-1-32-3 (2w); Khalid Usman 10-0-59-2; Shah Faisal 10-0-51-0 (2w); Sajid Khan 3-0-27-0; Iftikhar Ahmed 7-0-54-0.

RESULT: Peshawar won by 23 runs.

UMPIRES: Riazuddin and Shozab Raza.

TV UMPIRE: Ahsan Raza.

MATCH REFEREE: Iqbal Sheikh.

OFFICIAL SCORER: Mohammad Ahsan.

FINAL: Karachi Whites vs Peshawar, Friday.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2017