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KARACHI: Former Pakistan batsman Yasir Hameed launched the Faysal Bank T20 Cup in great style by making a splendid unbeaten century that helped Abbottabad Falcons comfortably decimate Quetta Bears by 72 runs at the National Stadium here on Sunday.
Yasir, the 32-year-old right-hander, slammed 101 from only 65 balls as the Falcons capitalised on the Bears lack of experience to post 190-2 after being asked to make first use of the pitch in the tournament’s opening fixture.
The Bears’ response to such a target was unsurprising since their young batting lineup was left to cope with a decent bowling armoury that the Falcons hope would challenge the likes of their Group ‘A’ rivals Karachi Zebras and Lahore Lions, who were involved in the day’s last match at the time of filing this report.
In the end, the Bears had limped to 118-8 with just Abid Ali (42 off 46 balls, four boundaries) offering resistance. Junaid Khan, the Pakistan left-arm paceman, proved a handful and regularly bowled at a fair pace to claim three wickets.
Younis Khan’s decision to wear the Falcons colours is another factor that could see his charges go all the way.
Younis was not needed to stamp his authority as Yasir and Adnan Raees toyed with the bowling to share an unbroken partnership of 116 after Fawad Khan had departed in the 10th over with the score on 74-2.
Yasir brought up his maiden Twenty20 hundred in the penultimate over with a single before the left-handed Adnan took over to complete a 30-ball half-century with the last of the innings with a deft reverse paddle to the boundary.
Yasir’s Man-of-the-Match knock included 14 fours and a six, while Adnan manage to strike eight boundaries.
