KARACHI: Pakistan skipper Bismah Maroof inspired PCB Challengers to the National Triangular T20 Women’s Champ­ionship title with a six-wicket defeat of PCB Blasters in the floodlight final at the National Stadium here on Thursday night.

Chasing a rather modest target of 129, the Challengers — who are coached by former first-class cricketer Aamir Iqbal — became recipients of the Rs500,000 on offer for the champions by reaching 130-4 with seven deliveries to spare. Bismah played a captains innings by shepherding the chase before finishing unbeaten 53 against her name.

Bismah — who looked in sublime touch as she struck five boundaries during her 45-ball innings — put on 61 for the third wicket with the veteran Nida Dar, who contributed a brisk 30 from 24 balls while sending the ball four times across the boundary line before falling to seamer Natalia Pervez (1-17 in three overs).

Blasters skipper Ramin Shamim grabbed the wickets of opener Ayesha Zafar (11) and Hafsa Khalid (7) to finish with figures of 2-24 in 3.5 overs with her off-spinners, while slow left-armer Anum Amin captured the prized scalp of in-form opener Muneeba Ali — who made only 10 this time — in taking 1-12 in four overs.

Earlier in the evening, Javeria Wadood Khan was the only Blasters batter to make a significant contribution. Upfront she easily outscored her opening partner Ayesha Nasim (11) in their partnership of 51in the first seven overs.

Just like Ayesha, Javeria too was stumped by Najiha Alvi for a well-played knock of 43 from only 35 balls and hit five fours and a brace of sixes.

Wicket-keeper/batter Sidra Nawaz scored a 16-ball 20 that included a solitary boundary, while Huraina Sajjad (14), Aliya Riaz (10) and Natalia (13) were the remaining batters to enter double figures.

Off-spinner Saba Nazir caught the eye with excellent analysis of 2-22 in fours; leg-spinner Aroob Shah claimed 1-17 in four tidy overs while pacer Fatima Sana also bowled accurately to take 1-21 in her four overs.

Bismah was later adjudged player-of-the-match, while Muneeba was deservingly declared the player-of-the-tournament for her outstanding run with the bat. The Blasters, on the other hand, received the runners-up cash prize of Rs250,000 from the PCB Women’s Wing head and chief selector Urooj Mumtaz.

Scoreboard

PCB BLASTERS:

Ayesha Nasim st Najiha b Sadia 11

Javeria W. Khan st Najiha b Aroob 43

Javeria Rauf c Hafsa b Sana 5

Huraina Sajjad run out 14

Aliya Riaz c Fatima b Sana 10

Sidra Nawaz lbw b Aiman 20

Natalia Pervez c Sadia b Fatima 13

Maham Tariq not out 7

Ramin Shamim not out 2

EXTRAS (B-1, W-2) 3

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 20 overs) 128

FALL OF WKTS: 1-51, 2-59, 3-60, 4-73, 5-96, 6-110, 7-121.

DID NOT BAT: Anum Amin, Tuba Hasan.

BOWLING: Aiman Anwar 4-0-32-1 (2w); Fatima Sana 4-0-21-1; Sadia Iqbal 3-0-25-1; Nida Dar 1-0-10-0; Aroob Shah 4-1-17-1; Saba Nazir 4-0-22-2.

PCB CHALLENGERS:

Muneeba Ali c Ayesha b Anum 10

Ayesha Zafar c Maham b Ramin 11

Bismah Maroof not out 53

Nida Dar lbw b Natalia 30

Hafsa Khalid c Javeria Khan b Ramin 7

Fatima Sana not out 9

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-1, W-8) 10

TOTAL (for four wkts, 18.5 overs) 130

FALL OF WKTS: 1-12, 2-34, 3-95, 4-111.

DID NOT BAT: Najiha Alvi, Aroob Shah, Sana Nazir, Sadia Iqbal. Aiman Anwar.

BOWLING: Anum Amin 4-1-12-1; Maham Tariq 2-0-21-0(1w); Ayesha Nasim 1-0-10-0(2w); Ramin Shamim 3.5-0-24-2; Tuba Hasan 2-0-18-0(1w); Natalia Pervez 3-0-17-1(2w); Aliya Riaz 3-0-26-0 (1w).

RESULT: PCB Challengers won by six wickets.

UMPIRES: Khalid Mahmood and Imtiaz Iqbal.

MATCH REFEREE: Iftikhar Ahmed.

OFFICIAL SCORER: Salman Hussain Kazmi.

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Bismah Maroof.

PLAYER-OF-THE-TOURNAMENT: Muneeba Ali.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2020