KARACHI: Pakistan fast bowler Shahnawaz Dahani and Test fast bowler Mir Hamza shared 10 wickets between them to dismiss Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for a paltry 40 runs, the lowest in Pakistan Cup history, helping Sindh to a four-wicket win in their fourth-round match of the Pakistan Cup here at the NBP Sports Complex on Friday.

In other fourth-round matches, defending champions Balochistan defeated Central Punjab by 28 runs while Northern edged Southern Punjab by 10 runs.

After being put into bat by Sindh captain Omair Bin Yousuf, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa batters never got the chance to occupy the crease as the pair of Hamza-Dahani duo went berserk with the new ball. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were bundled out for a scanty 40 in 20 overs with only one batter managing to enter double figures.

Right-armer Dahani, who completed his quota of 10 overs, went for only 19 runs and took six wickets, registering four maidens. Left-armer Hamza took four wickets for 12 runs in eight overs. He also delivered four maiden overs.

Chasing a measly 41-run target, Sindh lost six wickets before achieving the scanty target in the 14th over. Khyber Pakhtunkhwas captain Sajid Khan took three wickets for 14 runs while Khalid Usman bagged two wickets for four runs from five overs.

In the Northern-Southern Punjab match played at the State Bank Stadium, Test cricketers Usman Salahuddin’s unbeaten 81 and Hasan Ali’s all-round performance (2-48 and 33) went in vain as Southern Punjab fell 11 runs short of the 216-run target set by Northern.

For the winning team, Athar Mehmood took four scalps for 46. He was named player-of-the-match.

Centuries by Haseebullah and Hussain Talat, later named player of the match, helped Balochistan beat Central Punjab by 28 runs at the UBL Sports Complex.

This was Balochistan’s second win while Central Punjab crashed to their first loss in the tournament.

The decision to put Balochistan into bat by Central Punjab captain Aamer Yamin backfired, as Balochistan scored 331-5 in the stipulated 50 overs. The left-handed young wicket-keeper/batter Haseebullah scored a 138-ball 123, smashing 13 fours and two sixes. He was ably supported by another southpaw Hussain, who returned undefeated on 141 (off 122 balls) studded with 12 fours and five sixes. The pair knitted a 211-run partnership for the third wicket.

Central Punjab off-spinner Qasim Akram took 2-52.

In return, Central Punjab were all out for 303 in 47 overs. Opening batter Mohammad Faizan top-scored for his side, scoring a 72-ball 94, striking 10 fours and four sixes. Faizan was supported by Junaid Ali (75 off 58, nine fours and two sixes).

Balochistan’s Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Junaid took three wickets apiece.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2022