MULTAN: Captain Qasim Akram hit two half-centuries in row as Central Punjab boosted their semi-final hopes with victories against Sindh and Northern in a space of few hours.

Before smashing 58 in the side’s six-wicket win over Northern on Friday morning, Qasim played a 51-run knock — his maiden T20 half century — against Sindh on Thursday night.

Friday’s victory came in their tenth and last match of the league stage of the tournament, in which they are currently placed third with 10 points. However, they are tied on points with defending champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — who have played eight games — and Balochistan who have featured in nine so far. Sindh have also played all of their games and have finished with 10 points.

Qasim’s effort against Northern came with Central Punjab pursuing a 163-run target. The young all-rounder was assisted by a veteran one in Shoaib Malik, who’s unbeaten 50 help the team cross the finish line with 12 balls to spare.

Shoaib joined Qasim when Central Punjab were reeling at 51-3 early in the innings before the pair knitted a 103-run partnership for the fourth wicket off 70 balls. Qasim was dismissed in the 18th over not before scoring a 37-ball 58, studded with eight fours.

Shoaib’s innings of 62 off 39 balls featured two sixes six fours.

Earlier, after opting to bat first, Northern were well in course to set a huge target as they scored 48 for one in the powerplay. They had not lost any further wicket till 15th over with 115 runs on the board.

Captain Umar Amin’s departure (31 off 29, three fours) in the 16th over and dismissal of Nasir Nawaz (82 off 57) in the 19th over kept Northern batters in check and they managed to score 162 for five in 20 overs.

Central Punjab’s Aamer Yamin took three wickets for 29 runs.

On Thursday night, Qasim’s maiden half-century and Aamer’s all-round performance came helped Central Punjab trounce Sindh.

Put into bat, Central Punjab were dismissed for 166 in the final over not before Qasim’s captain’s knock — who top-scored with a 26-ball 51, smashing seven fours and one six. Tayyab Tahir was other contributor with the bat scoring a 21-ball 34, while Aamer scored 28 off 24.

In return, Sindh’s opening pair consisted of Saim Ayub and Sharjeel Khan were well on track for the run chase as they added 45 runs in the powerplay before the experienced Shoaib picked up the prized scalp of Sharjeel.

Saim was joined by skipper Saud Shakeel and both left-handers knitted a 39-run partnership for the second wicket. But after the departure of both batters Sindh were never allowed to stage a comeback in the game as they managed to score 149 for five in their allotted 20 overs.

Aamer bowled economically giving away only 27 runs in four overs and also got an in-form Sarfraz Ahmed.

Brief scores:

Central Punjab beat Northern by six wickets

NORTHERN 162-5 in 20 overs (Nasir Nawaz 82, Umar Amin 31; Aamer Yamin 3-29); CENTRAL PUNJAB 163-4 in 18 overs (Shoaib Malik 62 not out, Qasim Akram 58)

Central Punjab beat Sindh by 17 runs

CENTRAL PUNJAB 166 in 19.4 overs (Qasim Akram 51, Tayyab Tahir 34, Aamer Yamin 28; Sohail Khan 3-38, Ghulam Mudassar 2-24); SINDH 149-5 in 20 overs (Saim Ayub 46, Saud Shakeel 44; Ahmed Daniyal 2-24).

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2022