MULTAN: Veteran Sohail Khan’s four wickets and Sharjeel Khan’s blistering half-century led Sindh to their maiden National T20 Cup crown after they thumped Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by eight wickets in the final at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Monday night.

This is the first time in four years that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa didn’t manage to win the title.

In pursuit of a 141-run target, Sindh opening pair of Sharjeel (53) and Saim Ayub (36) took full advantage of the powerplay as both the batters stroked eight fours and six sixes combined and stitched a 70-run partnership in seven overs.

The left-handed Saim departed on the first ball of the eighth over and ended the tournament with 416 runs. Sharjeel, though picked up the pace after losing his partner and top-scored for his side dispatching four fours and as many sixes before losing his wicket in the 12th over.

Omair Bin Yousuf (21) and skipper Saud Shakeel (18 not out) saw Sindh chase down the target with 32 balls to spare.

Earlier, the decision to bat first from Kha­lid Usman backfired as Khyber Pakhtu­nkh­wa wobbled at the top of the innings when they slumped to 44-3.

Sohail accounted for Sahibzada Farhan (four) and Kamran Ghulam (16) in the first nine balls he bowled. He then went on to pick two more wickets which included Mohmmad Sarwar Afridi (30) and Mohammad Abbas Afridi (one) to end with figures of 4-18.

Wicket-keeper Rehan Afridi top-scored with a 41-ball 43, studded with four fours and one six while Mir Hamza and Asif Mehmood bagged two wickets apiece.

Sindh’s all-round performances in all three departments led to their triumph as the 20-year old Saim was awarded player of the tournament and old-hand Sohail claimed the best bowler of the tournament with 21 scalps. Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed got the best wicket-keeper award.Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Farhan was awarded with best batter of the tournament.

Brief scores:

Sindh beat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by eight wickets.

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA: 140 all out in 19.5 overs (Rehan Afridi 43, Mohammad Sarwar Afridi 30; Sohail Khan 4-18, Mir Hamza 2-32, Asif Mehmood 2-35); SINDH: 141-2 in 14.4 overs (Sharjeel Khan 53, Saim Ayub 36).

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2022