KARACHI: Karachi Whi­tes set up their Pakis­tan Cup final date with Peshawar on Friday after beating Multan by 43 runs in the second semi-final, which ended early due to poor light, with the winners decided by the DLS method at Rawalpindi’s Pindi Cricket Stadium.

After Karachi were boosted to 280 all out, mainly by Saim Ayub’s 95 off 86 balls, Multan could manage 229-9 in 41 overs – a total less than the req­ui­red D/L par score – despite Haseebullah’s century.

Opener Haseebullah helped Multan bounce back from the early dismissals of openers Zain Abbas and Sharjeel Khan, smashing 106 not out off 108 balls – the knock studded with 12 fours and two sixes.

Sohail Khan registered a four-fer claiming the scalps of Imran, Zahid Mehmood, Faisal Akram and Mohammad Sadaqat while conceding 44 runs.

Earlier, the partnership between Karachi Whites openers Shan Masood (41 off 38) and Saim had managed to yield a collective score of 106 runs. Saim’s knock featured 12 fours and one maximum.

Multan’s Imran claimed the scalps of Shan, Habib­ullah and Azam Khan while conceding 58 runs. Karachi Whites will now take on Peshawar in the final at the same venue on Sunday.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2023