ABDUL JABBAR FAISAL
ISLAMABAD (October 13, 2020):-Sindh’s left handed batsman Danish Aziz snatched the victory from Khyber Paktunkawa (KP) after smashing 72 not out in just 47 balls and hitting two six and two fours in the last over Iftikar Ahmed at Pindi Cricket Stadium Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old Karachi-born took his team over the line with a six on the last ball. Sindh required 19 off the last over when Khyber Pakhtunkhwa captain Mohammad Rizwan handed the ball to Iftikhar Ahmed to bowl right-arm medium fast.
Danish dispatched Iftikhar for a four on the first delivery before the equation reduced to 15 off the last three balls as the second and third ball turned out to be dots.
Danish then struck two towering sixes down the ground with a four on the long-off sandwiched between them.
Speaking about his man-of-the-match performance, Danish said: “It looked a bit difficult when the match came down to the last three balls. I was anticipating fuller deliveries so I decided to hit the ball down the ground.
“My plan was to bat until the end of the innings. When Anwar Ali walked into bat with me, we decided to rotate the strike initially before punishing bad balls.”
Danish spanked eight fours and four sixes and his 47-ball stay at the crease included a match-defining 77-run alliance with Anwar Ali, who made 33 off 32.
The two had come together after Hassan Khan was run out without facing a delivery on the last ball of the eighth over.
That the match had to be decided on the last ball was because Usman Shinwari who after recording his best score accounted for Khurram Manzoor (13 off 11), Sarfaraz Ahmed (13 off 13) and Sohail Khan (o off two) as Sindh slipped from 32 for three to 34 for six.
Sindh, in their chase of 139, were dealt an early blow as Shaheen Afridi, the highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 16 scalps at 11.25, accounted for Sharjeel Khan on the second ball.
His new-ball partner Imran Khan dismissed Asad Shafiq and Azam Khan in back-t0-back overs – the second and fourth of the innings.
Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, after being asked to bat, were driven to a respectable total of 138 for nine by Usman who made an unbeaten 15-ball 36 with the help of three sixes and two fours.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were struggling at 87 for seven before Usman stitched a 29-run partnership – the best of the innings - with Shaheen. He followed it up with a 20-run stand with Imran Khan, contributing all 20 runs in it accumulated over just six balls.
Musadiq Ahmed, who batted at seven, was the other notable run-getter with a 14-ball 25 (two fours and two sixes) in an innings in which Sohail, Hassan and Mohammad Hasnain took two wickets apiece.
Scores in brief:
Sindh beat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by two wickets
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 138-9, 20 overs (Usman Shinwari 36 not out, Musadiq Ahmed 25; Sohail Khan 2-12, Hassan Khan 2-21, Mohammad Hasnain 2-36)
Sindh 140-8, 20 overs (Danish Aziz 72 not out, Anwar Ali 33; Usman Shinwari 3-20, Imran Khan 2-27)
Player of the match – Danish Aziz (Sindh)
Wednesday’s fixtures
1500 PST – Northern v Sindh. Imtiaz Iqbal and Shozab Raza (on-field umpires), Imran Javed (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed (match referee)
1930 PST – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Central Punjab. Ahsan Raza and Ghaffar Kazmi (on-field umpires), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee)
