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KARACHI: A swashbuckling knock from Riaz Ahmed inspired Larkana become T20 cricket champions of the 17th Sindh Games with a clinical 60-run defeat of Hyderabad in the gold medal match at the TMC Ground here on Saturday night.
After being put into bat Hyderabad captain Mohsin Khan in the floodlight final, Larkana rode on a third-wicket partnership of 106 between Riaz, who blasted 70 off just 32 balls (nine boundaries and four sixes) and Ghulam Farooq (38, two sixes and two fours) to collect 223-6.
Hyderabad’s reply ended at 163 all out in 19.5 overs as leg-spinner Zohaib Ali grabbed three wickets for 14 runs.
Meanwhile, Karachi won a high-scoring bronze medal match on Sunday morning when they edged Shaheed Benazirabad by 18 runs at the TMC Ground.
Karachi amassed 224-5 with Usman Khan striking 14 boundaries and four sixes in a dazzling 90-ball innings of 98, while Danish Aziz hit 58 (five fours and three sixes).
Shaheed Benazirabad, in reply, ended up totalling 206-7 with Faisal Haider contributing 58 (five fours and three sixes).
Karachi skipper Owais Ahmed Rehmani, a wicket-keeper, claimed three wickets for 24 runs.
Mohammad Touseef Siddiqui, the ex-KCCA tournament committee chairman and a former assistant secretary, distributed the medals and prizes in a ceremony attended by ex-KCCA joint secretary Jamil Ahmed.
Larkana captain Abdul Sattar received the gold medal along with the winners’ trophy. Hyderabad captain Mohsin bagged the silver medal and the runners-up trophy while Owais claimed the bronze medal on behalf of Karachi.
Players of the three top finishing teams also were presented with medals.
Results:
Gold medal match: Larkana beat Hyderabad by 60 runs.
LARKANA 223-6 in 20 overs (Riaz Ahmed 70, Ghulam Farooq 38, Habibullah 34,Raja Suleman 29, Abdul Sami 15 not out; Mohsin Khan 2-9, Gul Badin 2-32); HYDERABAD 163 in 19.5 overs (Salman Khan 31, Khizer Butt 28, Uzair Jafri 18, Nihal Ali 18; Zohaib Ali 3-14, Abdul Sattar 2-21, Habibullah 2-22, Ghulam Farooq 2-24.
Bronze medal match: Karachi beat Shaheed Benazirabad by 18 runs.
KARACHI 224-5 in 20 overs (Usman Khan 97,Danish Aziz 58,Shiraz Ali 25; Siraj Brohi 2-27, Yousuf Pathan 2-31); SHAHEED BENAZIRABAD 206-7 in 20 overs (Faisal Haider 58, Yousuf Pathan 35, Haris Khan 27; Owais Ahmed Rehmani 3-24).
Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2018
