KARACHI: Ramiz Aziz excelled with a superlative all-round performance while inspiring Vital Five CC to the KCCA Zone-I PCB Fazal Mahmood National Cricket Championship title at the UBL Sports Complex here on Saturday.

In the final Vital Five CC defeated Airport Gymkhana by five wickets with the diminutive Ramiz playing a pivotal role. He grabbed four wickets for 25 in nine tidy overs with his off-spinners as Airport Gymkhana wee restricted to 164 all out in the 45th over.

Put into bat, Airport Gymkhana batsmen found the going tough. The only three players to get going were Jahanzaib Sultan, who made 37 off 65 balls with two fours and one six, veteran all-rounder Mansoor Khan 34 from 71 balls with four boundaries, while Khafid-un-Nabi hit a bright 24-ball 32 five fours.

Ramiz’ was well sported by off-spinner Yasir Hussain, who captured two wickets for 31 runs in 8.3 overs.

Vital Five CC, in reply, were home and dry quite easily in 33.4 overs by reaching 165-5. Opener Asad Baig led the chase with a compact unbeaten knock 69 from 102 deliveries while hitting six fours.

After his heroics with ball, the left-handed Ramiz then struck four boundaries in scoring 30 off 36 balls, while seasoned batsman Hasnain Rizvi finished undefeated with 32 (five fours).

Khafid picked up three wickets for 41 runs.

Summarised scores:

AIRPORT GYMKHANA 164 in 44.3 overs (Jahanzaib Sultan 37, Mansoor Khan 34, Khafid-un-Nabi 32; Ramiz Aziz 4-25, Yasir Hussain 2-31); VITAL FIVE CC 165-5 in 33.4 overs (Hafiz Asad Baig 69 not out, Hasnain Rizvi 32 not out, Rameez Aziz 30; Khafid-un-Nabi 3-41).

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2018