Abdullah Asjad
RAWALPINDI:-Central Punjab Under-19 Blues will take on Southern Punjab Under-19 Blues in the National Under-19 Championship final, a four-day affair, at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
The two sides have topped their groups with Southern Punjab Whites winning three of their five matches and Central Punjab Blues winning two. The winning team will receive PKR1.5million while the runners-up will bag PKR750,000.
The top performers – best player, best batter, best bowler and best wicketkeeper – will receive PKR50,000 each and the player of the final will pocket PKR25,000.
The four-day final will be a good contest between bat and ball, as Southern Punjab Whites have dominated the batting charts, while Central Punjab Blues have shown their dominance with the ball in the tournament.
Players to watch out for in the final:
Southern Punjab U19 Whites – Mohammad Shehzad:
The 18-year old leads the batting chart scoring 696 runs at 99.43 in five matches. The right-handed batter has scored three centuries and as many half-centuries with 208 as his highest score in the tournament.
Southern Punjab U19 Whites – Arafat Ahmed:
The 17-year old is a good all-round player available to Southern Punjab Whites. The left-handed batter has featured in five matches, scoring 430 runs at 61.43. His best score is 108 and has hit two centuries and one half-century. With left-arm spin, he has bagged 20 wickets at 12.65, with two five-wicket hauls to his name and has best figures of five for 16 in an innings.
Central Punjab U19 Blues – Ali Asfand:
The 17-year old has 23 scalps in five matches. Left-arm spinner has taken two five-wicket hauls in the tournament with five for 20 his best figures in the innings.
Central Punjab U19 Blues – Arham Nawab:
Arham with his right-arm off-spin has taken 23 wickets in five outings. The 18-year old has twice taken four wickets in an innings with four for 46 his best figures in an innings so far in the tournament.
Central Punjab U19 Blues – Awais Ali:
The 16-year old fast bowler has 22 wickets at 14.82. Like his teammate Arham, he too has two four-wicket hauls in an innings. His best figures in an innings are four for 23.
