KARACHI: Rawalpindi opener Yasir Khan continued his blistering run of form to boost his team to a three-wicket win over Sialkot and a consolidated spot atop the National T20 Cup Super Eight stage standings here at the UBL Sports Complex on Sunday.Meanwhile Abbotabad and Peshawar — placed second and third in the table respectively — also won their respective matches to stay in the race for the tournament’s semi-finals.

Yasir, who smashed his maiden T20 century a day earlier, undid a fine batting effort by veteran Pakistan international Shoaib Malik, who had helped Sialkot post a hefty 163-2.Rawalpindi kept losing wickets regularly during the chase but Yasir did not relent. The right-hander breezed his way to an unbeaten 87 off just 52 balls, bludgeoning seven sixes and four fours.His was one of the only three contributions in double figures along with Umar Amin and Jahadad Khan, who added an impactful 29 off 11 balls down the order, hitting three maximums and two boundaries to take Rawalpindi across the finish line with Yasir.The onslaught saw Shoaib’s unbeaten 56-ball 82 go in vain.

The former Pakistan skipper had belted four sixes and six fours in the knock, adding to a valiant 72 not out off 52 by Ashir Mahmood —an innings studded by four fours and sixes each.At the NBP Sports Complex, Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman ruled the roost as Abbotabad beat Fata by 57 runs. The explosive southpaw was the team’s highest run-scorer with 69 off 48 balls, which saw him launch three sixes and five boundaries.Fakhar’s effort, along with that of fellow opener Sajjad Ali, who contributed a 35-ball 44, helped Abbotabad post 188-5. The target proved just too much for Fata, of whom five batters were hunted down by pacer Shahab Khan. Left-arm spinner Khalid Usman took three wickets as Fata were bundled out for 131.

Peshawar, meanwhile, defended a low total to edge Lahore Blues by five runs at the National Bank Stadium. Batting first, the Iftikhar Ahmed-led side could manage only 133 runs, most of which came from opener Mohammad Haris’ (55 off 31, five fours and as many sixes) bat.Lahore Blues’ response, however, was poor as their scorecard read 128-8 at the end of the 20 overs, with Kashif Bhatti (25 off 17, three fours and a six), Imran Butt (24 off 13, two fours and as many sixes) and skipper Hussain Talat (20 off 25) their top-scorers

Imran Khan Sr and Iftikhar returned with two scalps each.In Saturday’s late fixture, Abbota­bad had registered their first win of the Super Eight stage as they beat Sialkot by five wickets.

After Pakistan discard and Abbotabad captain Yasir Shah took three wickets with his leg-spin to restrict Sialkot to 119-8, Sajjad’s 50 off 45 balls helped them chase down the target before the end of the 18th over.Kamran Ghulam’s 26 off 21 also came in handy for Abbotabad.

Scores in brief:

Abbottabad beat FATA by 57 runs at NBP Sports Complex

ABBOTABAD 118-5 in 20 overs (Fakhar Zaman 69, Sajjad Ali Jnr 44, Afaq Ahmed 23, Shahab Khan 22 not out; Asif Ali 2-25, Khushdil Shah 2-39); FATA 131 in 17.2 overs (Samiullah Jr 53, Salman Khan Jr 28; Shahab Khan 5-20, Khalid Usman 3-29, Fayyaz Khan 1-19, Yasir Shah 1-23)

Rawalpindi beat Sialkot by three wickets at UBL Sports Complex

SIALKOT 163-2 in 20 overs (Shoaib Malik 84 not out, Ashir Mehmood 72 not out; Mohammad Awais Anwar 1-26, Kashif Ali 1-33); RAWALPINDI 167-7 in 18.4 overs (Yasir Khan 87, Jahandad Khan 29; Sohaibullah 2-32, Shoaib Akhtar 1-21, Bilal Asif 1-26, Mohammad Ali 1-34, Shahzaib Bhatti 1-47)

Peshawar beat Lahore Blues by five runs at National Bank Stadium

PESHAWAR 133 in 20 overs (Mohammad Haris 55, Sahibzada Farhan 15, Iftikhar Ahmed 15; Usman Qadir 5-14, Hunain Shan 2-25, Qasim Akram 1-21, Umaid Asif 1-25); LAHORE BLUES 128-8 in 20 overs (Kashif Bhatti 25, Imran Butt 24, Hussain Talat 20; Iftikhar Ahmed 2-16, Imran Khan Sr 2-33, Israrullah 1-2, Niaz Khan 1-14, Azam Khan 1-22, Mohammad Ilyas 1-30)

Abbottabad beat Sialkot by five wickets at National Bank Stadium

SIALKOT 119-8 in 20 overs (Mirza Tahir Baig 38, Mohammad Huraira 15, Hamza Nazar 15; Yasir Shah 3-12, Adil Naz 2-22, Shahab Khan 1-19, Kamran Ghulam 1-19, Khalid Usman 1-24); ABBOTABAD 120-5 in 17.4 overs (Sajjad Ali 50, Kamran Ghulam 26; Bilal Asif 2-24, Hamza Nazar 1-13, Mohammad Ali 1-18, Sohaibbullah 1-29)

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2023