KARACHI: Opener Zakir Malik struck a sparkling half-century to help Tapal CC trounce Sindh Police by 73 runs in their 33rd Karachi Gymkhana Ramazan Cricket Festival for the Omar Associates Trophy fixture here on Monday.

Another sweltering day in the city with mercury touching nearly 42, Tapal CC made good use of winning the toss at the Karachi Gymkhana Ground by reaching 199-4 in the stipulated 20 overs of the Group ‘A’ match.

Zakir plundered nine fours and hoisted five sixes in a dazzling 84 off just 37 deliveries. Nadeem Javed made 43 off 37 balls with six fours as he and Zakir added 116 for the first wicket.

Daniyal Ahsan hit a brace of sixes in scoring 47 off 23 balls, while Daniyal Rajput blasted a 13-ball 24 that included two fours and one six.

Sindh Police, in reply, were dismissed for 126 in the 17th over despite Shaharyar Ghani scoring a 32-ball 45 (three sixes and two sixes) and Ammar Hasan 32 (off 15 balls, four fours and one six).

Slow left-armer Abdur Rehman snared four wickets for 29 runs in 3.3 overs while fellow spinner Saad Khan took 3-9 in two overs.

Zakir was named man-of-the-match.

Summarised scores:

TAPAL CC 199-4 in 20 overs (Zakir Malik 84, Nadeem Javed 43, Daniyal Ahsan 37, Daniyal Rajput 24); SINDH POLICE 126 in 16.3 overs (Shaharyar Ghani 45, Ammar Hasan 32; Abdur Rehman 4-29, Saad Khan 3-9).

Tuesday’s fixture: Quetta Gladiators Academy vs Momin Seed CC (Group ‘A’, 2:30pm).

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2018