Sports Bulletin

Sports Reporter LAHORE (October 9, 2021):-Sharjeel Khan’s scintillating 101 off 56 and Rumman Raees’ hat-trick orchestrated GFS Sindh’s commanding win over ATF Southern Punjab by 45 runs in the 24th match of the National T20 2021-22 at the Gaddafi Stadium. The win dashed Southern Punjab’s dreams of qualifying for the semi-final. With four off the six sides with at least eight points, Southern Punjab, who have four from two wins, can go to a maximum of six points if they beat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in their last group match on 10 October. Home City Central Punjab, Northern and now Sindh are locked at 10 points apiece, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have eight points. Balochistan have six points with three more matches to go. Player of the match Sharjeel clubbed Southern Punjab bowlers all over the park, displaying wide-range of strokes, after Aamer Yamin, the Southern Punjab captain, elected to field. Sharjeel spanked as many as 13 fours and four sixes as he made almost 52 per cent of his side’s 196 runs. The hallmark of Sharjeel’s innings was his fearless strokeplay. Sindh lost Ahsan Ali, Sharjeel’s opening partner, in the first over. That, however, seemed to have no impact on the southpaw, who pulled Aamer for a four facing his third ball. He put 37 off 20 in the powerplay with Shan Masood, who contributed 22 off 15 (hitting four fours) before the latter was caught behind off Mohammad Imran on the first ball of the fifth over. The highlight of their alliance was the fourth over when Shan smashed Naseem Shah for three consecutive fours, before Sharjeel pulled the teenage right-arm pacer for a six over midwicket. He then stitched a 56-run stand with Saud Shakeel, who scored 26 off 19. Sharjeel continued fireworks till his departure on the first ball of the last over, as pacers Naseem and Zia-ul-Haq, who went for 49 and 42 respectively, leaked 18 and 13 runs in the 18th and 19th overs. He brought up his century, the fourth of his career and first for Sindh, with a flick that sailed over the square-leg boundary in the 19th over. Southern Punjab’s run chase suffered a major blow in the first over when Zeeshan Ashraf handed Shan, stationed at cover, an easy catch off Sohail Khan in the first over. The first three overs brought only 12 runs for the chasing side, but Tayyab Tahir, with his three consecutive fours off Mir Hamza, breathed life in it in the fourth over. The right-handed batter would hit two more fours before he was removed by Anwar Ali in the last powerplay over after scoring 32 off 23 (six fours). From that point, Southern Punjab struggled to keep up with the required run-rate and lost wickets at regular intervals. Mohammad Imran put up a fight with 29 off 20, but the match was done and dusted in the 17th over with Rumman Raees’ hat-trick which sent back Hassan Khan (run-a-ball seven), Aamer (27 off 18) and Naseem Shah (none off one). Southern Punjab were all out for 151 with seven balls spare. Rumman finished with three for 23, while Anwar Ali, Danish Aziz and Zahid Mahmood picked up two wickets each. Scores in brief: GFS Sindh beat ATF Southern Punjab by 45 runs GFS Sindh 196-7, 20 overs (Sharjeel Khan 101, Saud Shakeel 26, Shan Masood 22; Mohammad Imran 2-32, Naseem Shah 2-49) ATF Southern Punjab 151 all out, 18.5 overs (Tayyab Tahir 32, Mohammad Imran 29, Aamer Yamin 27, Salman Ali Agha 21; Rumman Raees 3-23, Anwar Ali 2-18, Danish Aziz 2-30, Zahid Mahmood 2-40) Player of the match – Sharjeel Khan (Sindh) Saturday’s fixtures: 1500 start – GFS Sindh v Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 1930 start – Balochistan v Northern

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT London (October 8, 2021):-The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced the award of Central Contracts for England Men's international cricket for 2021-22. Under the new system, 20 annual contracts have been awarded on a 'single' contract list instead of the previous separation of red ball and white ball contracts introduced in 2016. The contracts awards panel, Managing Director of Men's England Cricket, Ashley Giles and Head Coach, Chris Silverwood, has also awarded four England Increment Contracts and three England Pace Bowling Development Contracts. The new system has been developed working in consultation with the players, Team England Player Partnership (TEPP) and the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA). It is designed to meet England's future needs in what has become a fluid and dynamic landscape. The system considers the likelihood of players featuring in England teams across formats in the next 12 months, whilst also recognising performances in the preceding year. Considerations were also agreed against a busy international schedule, made challenging by additional Covid-related constraints, and taking into account the mental wellbeing and welfare of the players. In addition to the 20 Central Contracts, awards have been made for Increment Contracts and Pace Bowling Development Contracts. This structure recognises players that may feature for England on a less predictable basis and supports developing and managing high potential pace bowlers across all formats. The contracts, which cover a 12-month period commencing 1 October 2021, have been awarded to the following players: England Men's Central Contracts Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Sam Curran (Surrey), Jack Leach (Somerset), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham) England Increment Contracts: Dom Bess (Yorkshire), Tom Curran (Surrey), Chris Jordan (Surrey), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire) England Pace Bowling Development Contracts Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Craig Overton (Somerset), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Somerset spinner Jack Leach, Yorkshire batsman Dawid Malan and Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson all receive Central Contracts for the first time. Lancashire all-rounder Liam Livingstone is awarded an increment contract for the first time after his excellent campaign during the English summer. Surrey's Tom Curran returns to an increment contract having had a white-ball contract in 2020/21. Managing Director of Men's England Cricket, Ashley Giles, said: "I would like to thank TEPP and the players for all their constructive input through the process of developing this new system, which I believe is the fairest and most transparent way of rewarding players across all formats. "We have worked well to get to this stage and the refinements made will take into account the amount of cricket we will be playing across formats over the next period of the ICC Future Tours Programme. "Since the inception of central contracts in 2002, the system has facilitated improved preparation, performance and professionalism of the England team and has ensured that players are well rewarded for representing their country at the elite level. "The international game continues to evolve, and we have to be mindful that we have to lead the way in player performance across cricket's ever-changing landscape. Our objective remains the same to develop world-class players in all three formats as we strive to become the most respected team in the world. "I would like to congratulate all the players offered agreements for the coming year, particularly newcomers Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, and Ollie Robinson. Receiving your first central contract is a great moment in any player's career. They will all play a pivotal role in England's fortunes over the next 12 months."

Sports Reporter LAHORE (October 8, 2021):-Aamer Jamal’s player of the match contribution and Rohail Nazir’s stunning 13-ball 26 not out handed Northern a thrilling five-wicket win as they chased 195 on the third ball off the last over against Home City Central Punjab at the Gaddafi Stadium. Northern required 50 off 28 when the two youngsters came together. The two ensured that the flow of boundaries does not dry and it was the penultimate over – delivered by experienced Wahab Riaz – which set the match for Northern as Aamer and Rohail gathered 20 runs off it – leaving nine for the last over, which were collected with the help of two fours and a legbye. Aamer smashed five fours in his 27 not out off 14, while Rohail struck three fours and a six. It was the 92-run alliance for the second wicket between Ali Imran, who scored his career’s fifth half-century, and Haider Ali (37 off 29) that kept Northern in the hunt. The pair had come together in the first over when Faheem Ashraf removed Nasir Nawaz, who made 10 off five, scoring all of his runs in boundaries (one six and a four). The second-wicket partnership was broken by Hussain Talat in the 11th over with the dismissal of Ali, who smacked the ball out of the park on five occasions in his blasting 55 off 32 that also included three fours. Northern faced next blow in the next over as Qasim Akram removed Haider. With his 22 off 14 – with included two sixes – Mubasir Khan ensured Northern’s hopes were not dashed. But, in the 16th over he became Hussain’s second victim as the right-arm medium-fast finished with two for 36. Qasim Akram was the other bowler to take two wickets in the innings. It was the 124-run stand between the openers Ahmed Shehzad and Muhammad Akhlaq that set the foundation for Central Punjab to post an imposing total of 194 for five. In the process, the two batters stroked their first half-centuries of the event with Ahmed top scoring in the innings with a 45-ball 77 and Ahklaq cracking an equally destructive 61 off 41. The Central Punjab innings was off to a flying start after Northern captain Umar Amin decided to bowl at the toss. The pair had piled up 68 runs. The moment of the powerplay came in the sixth over when Ahmed smashed pacer Salman Irshad for five fours in an over that brought 22 runs. Pacer Aamer Jamal – who returned three for 38 – ended their alliance on the last ball of the 12th over. By then, the two batters had piled 124 runs together at a run-rate of over 10. The dismissal helped in bringing down the scoring rate with Nauman Ali allowing only three singles in the next over. Central Punjab couldn’t make the most of the platform provided by the openers as despite nine wickets in hand at the start of the death phase of the innings, their batters added 46 runs. Aamer accounted for Shoaib Malik (19 off 14) and Faheem Ashraf (12 off seven) in the last over, which cost Northern 14. Scores in brief: Northern beat Home City Central Punjab by five wickets Central Punjab 194-5, 20 overs (Ahmed Shehzad 77, Muhammad Akhlaq 61; Aamer Jamal 3-38) Northern 195-5, 19.3 overs (Ali Imran 55, Haider Ali 37, Aamer Jamal 27 not out, Rohail Nazir 26 not out; Qasim Akram 2-15, Hussain Talat 2-36) Player of the match – Aamer Jamal (Northern)

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Lahore (October 8, 2021):-National selectors on Friday confirmed Pakistan’s squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, which will be held in the United Arab Emirates from 17 October to 14 November. Pakistan is in Group 2 and will open their campaign against India on 24 October at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. From the squad that was announced on 4 September and after taking into consideration player performances and form, the selectors have made three changes. Sarfaraz Ahmed and Haider Ali have replaced Azam Khan and Mohammad Hasnain respectively, while Fakhar Zaman, who was originally named as a travel reserve, has swapped places with Khushdil Shah. The decision on Sohaib Maqsood’s inclusion in the squad will be made following medical advice. The top-order batter underwent MRI scans for the lower back after the 6 October National T20 match against Northern and missed Thursday’s Punjab derby against Central Punjab. Chief selector Mohammad Wasim: “After reviewing player performances in the highly-competitive National T20 and in consultation with the team management, we have decided to include Haider Ali, Fakhar Zaman and Sarfaraz Ahmed in the squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021. “The three in-form players bring with them wealth of experience and talent, and provide further stability, balance and strength to the side. “It must be tough for Azam, Khushdil and Hasnain for missing out but they still have a lot to offer in their careers. They are in our future plans as a lot of cricket has to be played post the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 and in the lead up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. “I am pleased with the intensity and high quality of cricket that we have witnessed in the National T20. It has not only provided the players excellent match practice in the lead up to the UAE competition, it has also given us the opportunity to closely monitor the player progress and then make decisions that are in the best interest of the side for what will be a cut-throat tournament.”  Pakistan’s 15-player squad: Babar Azam (captain, Central Punjab) Shadab Khan (vice-captain, Northern) Asif Ali (Northern) Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Haider Ali (Northern) Haris Rauf (Northern) Hasan Ali (Central Punjab) Imad Wasim (Northern) Mohammad Hafeez (Central Punjab) Mohammad Nawaz (Northern) Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper, Sindh) Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Sohaib Maqsood (Southern Punjab) Traveling reserves – Khushdil Shah (Southern Punjab), Shahnawaz Dahani (Sindh) and Usman Qadir (Central Punjab) Player Support Personnel: Mansoor Rana (manager), Saqlain Mushtaq (interim head coach), Shahid Aslam (assistant head coach), Matthew Hayden (batting consultant), Vernon Philander (bowling consultant), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Drikus Saaiman (strength and conditioning coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Talha Ejaz (team analyst), Col (retd) Muhammad Imran (Security Manager), Ibrahim Badees (media and digital manager), Dr Najeeb Soomro (team doctor) and Malang Ali (Masseur) Schedule of Pakistan’s matches in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 (all matches to start at 1900 Pakistan time): 24 Oct – Pakistan v India, ICC T20 WC (Group 2), Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 26 Oct – Pakistan v New Zealand, ICC T20 WC (Group 2), Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah 29 Oct – Pakistan v Afghanistan, ICC T20 WC (Group 2), Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 2 Nov – Pakistan v A2, ICC T20 WC (Group 2), Sheikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium, Abdu Dhabi 7 Nov –Pakistan v B1, ICC T20 WC (Group 2), Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah ICC T20 World Cup 2021 semi-final schedule: 10 Nov – 1st semi-final, Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi 11 Nov – 2nd semi-final, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 14 Nov – Final, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

SPORTS REPORTER Lahore (October 7 2021):-Imam-ul-Haq’s breezy 64 not out off 46 set Balochistan’s third win of the National T20 2021-22 as they defeated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the title defenders, by six wickets at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday. Imam’s first half-century of the event and 19th of his T20 career saw his team overhaul 156-run target with two balls spare. He struck six fours. Imam struck a crucial stand worth 58 with Umaid Asif, who contributed 20 off 12, which decided the match in his side’s favour and took Balochistan to the fifth spot on the points table. Umaid was Imran Khan Snr’s second scalp after he had dismissed Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (14 off 15) in the sixth over. At the start of the run chase, Abdullah Shafique provided a stable base to his side, scoring 28 off 24 (two fours and a six). Sahibzada Farhan with his 49-ball 78 anchored Khyber Pakhtunkhwa innings after Imam put them in to bat. Of the 15 fours in the innings, nine came off Farhan’s bat. He also struck one of the two maximums. Farhan surpassed Babar Azam to become the leading run-getter in this edition of the National T20 with 298 runs next to his name. This was his second half-century of this tournament. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lost wickets on regular intervals and faced the first blow on the third ball when Aamer Azmat fell to Junaid Khan, who also accounted for Fakhar Zaman (12 off 13) in the 16th over and Farhan on the last ball of the penultimate over. Israrullah – the second best scorer in the innings – was run out on 19. Najeebullah and Amad Butt dismissed Mohammad Rizwan (17 off 19) and Iftikhar Ahmed (run-a-ball six). Scores in brief: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 155-6, 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 78; Junaid Khan 3-32) Balochistan 158-4, 19.4 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 64 not out, Abdullah Shafique 28, Umaid Asif 20; Imran Khan Snr 2-27) Player of the match – Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan)

Sports Reporter LAHORE (October 7, 2021):-After failing to record a win in the first six matches, ATF Southern Punjab won their second match on trot as they handed Home City Central Punjab a six-wicket defeat at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday. That Southern Punjab overhauled the target of 155 with an over spare was due to excellent half-centuries by Tayyab Tahir and Khushdil Shah. It was the fifth over which set the momentum for the run chase when Hasan Ali, the Central Punjab captain, was smashed for four fours in an over, which brought 19 runs. Mohammad Imran, who made 24 off 17 and was dismissed in the ninth over, hit three of those. Tayyab and Khushdil denied Central Punjab bowlers any further breakthroughs and they went on to stitch 92-run stand before the former was dismissed in the penultimate over. Tayyab’s 68, included eight fours and two sixes, while Khushdil was unbeaten on 51 off 36 (eight fours). Southern Punjab were 67 for three after 10 overs. The match was defined in the next five overs as they brought 54 runs. It was Hussain Talat’s second half-century in as many matches that dragged Central Punjab to 154 after they were asked to bat first. Hussain staged a brilliant recovery with a carefully crafted 68 off 47 – which went down as his third score of 50-plus in the tournament. Central Punjab faced early blows when Southern Punjab captain Aamer Yamin and pacer Naseem Shah accounted for openers Kamran Akmal and Muhammad Akhlaq in the first two overs. Saif Badar followed them in the fourth over to leave Central Punjab tottering at 30 for three. Hussain, however, put the pressure back on the Southern Punjab bowlers as he smoked Zia-ul-Haq, who later turned out to be the most successful bowler in the innings, for three fours in the last powerplay over. Hussain, who smashed a total of six fours and three sixes, would hit Hassan Khan, the left-arm orthodox, for two consecutive maximums in the ninth over, but the tide turned once again in the 14th over when Zia sent Shoaib Malik (26 off 24) and Qasim Akram packing in consecutive balls. Shoaib’s dismissal brought an end to a 98-run stand. Hussain was dismissed by pacer Mohammad Imran in the next over and no other batter made any notable contribution from there on. Zia’s next two victims were Faheem Ashraf (three off four) and Wahab Riaz (four off six) as the left-arm pacer finished with the figures of four for 40. Last five overs brought only 28 runs at the loss of three wickets for Central Punjab. Scores in brief: ATF Southern Punjab beat Home City Central Punjab by six wickets Home City Central Punjab: 154-9, 20 overs (Hussain Talat 68, Saif Badar 26; Zia-ul-Haq 4-40, Aamer Yamin 2-22, Mohammad Imran 2-24) ATF Southern Punjab: 157-4, 19 overs (Tayyab Tahir 68, Khushdil Shah 51 not out, Mohammad Imran 24; Waqas Maqsood 2-42) Player of the match – Tayyab Tahir Friday’s fixtures: 1500 – Home City Central Punjab v Northern 1930 – ATF Southern Punjab v GFS Sindh

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Islamabad (October 7, 2021):-The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the appointments for Round One matches and the Super 12 phase of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, comprising 20 of the best match officials from around the world. The 16 umpires and four match referees finalised for the 45-match tournament include three umpires who will be officiating in their sixth ICC Men’s T20 World Cups - Aleem Dar, Marais Erasmus and Rod Tucker. A 20-strong group means that for the first time since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, there will be neutral umpires for all matches of the 16-team tournament, being played in Muscat (Oman), Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai (UAE) from 17 October to 14 November. Sri Lanka’s Kumar Dharmasena, who was one of the on-field umpires for the final of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, will be in the middle for the first match of the tournament, when Oman take on Papua New Guinea, alongside New Zealander Chris Gaffaney. Another Sri Lankan, the vastly experienced Ranjan Madugalle, will be the match referee, with Richard Kettleborough the TV umpire and Ahsan Raza the fourth official. Dar and Erasmus have been selected for the Super 12 clash between England and the West Indies, a rematch of the last ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final back in 2016, with Australian great David Boon the match referee for that encounter and Chris Brown, appearing in his first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, on TV duty. Officials have been named for the entirety of the first round and Super 12s, with the selections for the semi-finals and final of the tournament in the UAE and Oman to be named in due course. Adrian Griffith, ICC Senior Manager – Umpires and Referees: "We are delighted to be able to call on some of the world's top officials for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup with a group of 16 umpires and four match referees. "Our aim is always to appoint the best possible officials, and we have also been able to appoint neutral umpires and referees in all matches. We wish them all the very best, and we are confident they will ensure the smooth conduct of matches." Match Officials at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 Match Referees: David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Ranjan Madugalle, Javagal Srinath. Umpires: Chris Brown, Aleem Dar, Kumar Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nitin Menon, Ahsan Raza, Paul Reiffel, Langton Rusere, Rod Tucker, Joel Wilson, Paul Wilson.

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT London (October 7, 2021):-England all-rounder Ben Stokes has undergone a second operation on Monday 4th October 2021 to address ongoing issues with the finger that he injured in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in April. Stokes had two screws and scar tissue removed from the index finger of his left hand. He will now undergo an intensive period of rehabilitation for the next four weeks under the supervision of the ECB's medical team.

BIPIN DANI Bangladesh U-19 team will reach Sri Lanka on Thursday afternoon, it is learnt here. "They will be leaving in a commercial flight but they are travelling with special care and with specific arrangements", Abu Emam Mohammed Kawsar, the Game & Development Manager of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), said over the telephone from Dhaka on Wednesday morning.  The squad of 16 players and nine support staff officials will be reaching Colombo at 1.00 pm. The visiting squad is already in bio-bubble in Dhaka. "The players will be quarantined for four days in a hotel before players begin regular training and practice", one of the sources, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Dhaka, said. "There will be 4days of quarantine. Their training will resume from 11th October", he said. The team will play five Youth ODIs' against the U-19 Sri Lankan team. All five matches are scheduled to be played in Dambulla. Bangladesh U-19 squad will be led by SM Meherob Hasan (Ahin). Mehrab Hossain Opee will be the coach in the absence of regular head coach Naveed Nawaz, who has to leave for Australia for some personal work. The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is yet to name the captain, however, Dunith Wellalage is most likely to be named the skipper. "The U-19 Sri Lankan players from Colombo, Kandy and Galle gave their two PCR tests on Tuesday and Wednesday in their respective cities. Once their Corona results are found negative, they will assemble and move into a bio-bubble in Dambulla on Thursday", the source in Colombo, confirmed.   

SPORTS REPORTER Lahore (October 7, 2021)-Salman Ali Agha’s sparkling 68 not out off 40 and Aamer Yamin’s blazing 21-ball 41 kept ATF Southern Punjab’s semi-final hopes alive with a four-wicket win over Northern at the Gaddafi Stadium. Southern Punjab chased a daunting 212-run target on the penultimate ball to record their first win in seven matches in the National T20 2021-22. The pair had come together with 82 required off the last eight overs when Aamer, the Southern Punjab captain, joined Salman after the dismissal of Azam Khan, who smoked three sixes and a four as he blasted 23 off just nine. Southern Punjab’s run chase had gotten off to a desired start as opener Zeeshan Ashraf spanked experienced T20 bowler Sohail Tanvir for two consecutive sixes in the first over. He was sent packing in the next over by Imad Wasim, not before he had smashed the left-arm orthodox for a four. Zeeshan’s opening partner Sohaib Maqsood (23 off 14) and Tayyab Tahir (15 off nine) ensured that they continued to match the required run-rate as Southern Punjab made 57 by the end of the fifth over and finished the powerplay at 60 for three – 15 more than the average score in the first six overs at the venue since 2020. Left-handed Khushdil Shah clubbed two sixes and as many fours in his 16-ball stay at the wicket, which brought him 24. The match, however, was decided by the blistering 76-run partnership between Salman, who recorded his best T20 score, and Aamer brought up in 44 balls. Aamer smashed three sixes and two fours, while Salman’s player of the match innings was studded with five gigantic sixes and four fours. That Northern had set up an imposing total was because of Haider Ali’s scintillating 72 not out off 40 – his third half-century of the tournament. The 21-year-old blasted seven fours and four towering sixes and his superlative knock left him only six runs behind tournament’s leading run scorer Babar Azam, who has accumulated 286 runs. Despite losing both openers in the powerplay, Northern gathered 52 runs. Their innings, however, was largely anchored by Haider, who knitted electrifying partnerships with Mohammad Nawaz, who brought his 38 runs at a strike rate of 152, and Imad Wasim, who spanked 40 at staggering rate of 222. An eventful powerplay was followed by a four-over lull in which young Southern Punjab spinners – Hassan Khan and Faisal Akram – allowed just 19. The innings, however, turned on its head in the 11th over with Nawaz spanking back-to-back sixes. The left-handed batter, who has made two half-centuries in the tournament, smashed four sixes and a four in total. The pair added 85 in 46 balls. With the stage set for late blitz, Imad smashed six fours and a six after he walked out to bat with 4.1 overs remaining in the innings. His brilliance with the bat, coupled with extraordinary improvisation, which saw him reverse sweep pace bowlers for boundaries, added 63 runs in the last 25 balls. Scores in brief: ATF Southern Punjab beat Northern by four wickets Northern 211-5, 20 overs (Haider Ali 72 not out, Imad Wasim 40, Mohammad Nawaz 38, Asif Ali 21; Zia-ul-Haq 2-48) Southern Punjab 217-6, 19.5 overs (Salman Ali Agha 68 not out, Aamer Yamin 41, Khushdil Shah 24, Azam Khan 23, Sohaib Maqsood 23; Salman Irshad 2-27, Mohammad Nawaz 2-52) Player of the match – Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab) Thursday’s fixtures: 1500 – Home City Central Punjab v ATF Southern Punjab 1930 – Balochistan v Khyber Pakhtunkhwa