Sports Bulletin

SB News ISLAMABAD (December 31, 2019):-The year 2019 was a year of mixed on-field performances for the Pakistan national men’s team. They strengthened the claim of Karachi’s National Stadium being the national side’s fortress in Test cricket with a win against Sri Lanka to register their first World Test Championship win, but struggled on away tours failing to win in South Africa and Australia. They won four consecutive group-stage contests in the ICC Cricket World Cup and fell just short of qualifying for the semi-finals on the basis of the net run-rate. They beat Sri Lanka 2-0 at home in their last ODI assignment, but series defeats to Australia and England put a dent in their win/loss ratio. Pakistan remained number one in T20Is throughout the year. They were beaten 2-1 by South Africa in an away series, which were followed by series losses to England, Sri Lanka and Australia. The PCB appointed Misbah-ul-Haq as the chief selector and head coach after the ICC Cricket World Cup, in 2019. Recapping the 2019, Misbah-ul-Haq said: “Pakistan ended 2019 on a high note with victory against Sri Lanka, but, overall, it was a tough year for Pakistan in Test cricket. “In white-ball cricket our mainstays like Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan, on the back of whom we had won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, lost form at a crucial time which saw us suffer in the ODI World Cup and T20I format. Though, we managed to stay number one in the format throughout the year. Overall, our win ratio in T20I cricket has fallen. “Going further we have to improve a lot of things in both red-ball and white-ball cricket. This team has enough potential and new boys are also making their way in international cricket. There’s certainly a bright future ahead for us. “The emergence of Babar Azam as a mega star across all formats is very good news for Pakistan cricket. He remained number one in T20I cricket and is in the top ten batsmen in the ODI cricket. He played some brilliant innings in the World Cup and ended the year by establishing himself as a Test batsman with scintillating performances in Australia and two centuries against Sri Lanka in Pakistan. “Some of the new bowlers like Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi have arrived at the scene and they have been impressive in Test cricket. “Naseem got a five-fer in the last Test against Sri Lanka. Shaheen bowled well in the World Cup and he showed glimpses of being a Test bowler in South Africa, and bowled really well in Australia and here in Pakistan against Sri Lanka. “We will hopefully bank on these two promising fast-bowlers in the future. “Overall, we are on the right track. The more we play the longer format, the more we will improve. We need to do a lot of work in white-ball cricket ahead of the all-important ICC T20 World Cup next year. “Retaining number one position in T20Is was a big positive for us. No doubt, we did not perform up to the set standards, but this is something we look to build on. “Mohammad Rizwan performed very well for us in Australia, which was very good for us. Iftikhar Ahmed joined the team in the latter part of the year and the way he has put up performances in the T20I performances was certainly a plus for us. “We can go a long way with a few more additions in the side and the present players maturing.”  

SB News KARACHI (December 30, 2019):-Central Punjab defeated Northern by an innings and 16 runs to be crowned champions of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2019-20. In the final, played at Karachi’s National Stadium, Central Punjab wrapped up the five-day affair in the evening session of the fourth day thanks to Bilal Asif’s sensational off-spin bowling which saw him bag as many as eight wickets for 112 runs. Northern had a 312-run trail to surmount with eight wickets in hand at the beginning of the play on Monday. Young opener Haider Ali registered his second first-class century after resuming his innings at the overnight score of 50. He along with Faizan Riaz (22) put up resistance for the first hour of the day’s play before Bilal removed both batsmen on either side of the latter half of the morning session. With 134 runs, Haider was the highest run-getter from his side. The 19-year-old smashed 22 fours and a six in his 204-ball stay at the crease. Rohail Nazir and Ali Sarfraz scored half-centuries in the middle-order and put up a defiant 95-run stand for the fifth-wicket. Rohail scored 70 from 96 balls, hitting nine fours, while Ali made 81 in 119 balls and cracked 12 fours. Once, the stand was broken, with Ehsan Adil trapping Rohail LBW, the Northern batting line-up crumbled with Bilal taking all five remaining wickets. Central Punjab had amassed a mammoth first innings score of 675 for eight declared on the back of a brilliant double-century by Umar Akmal. The middle-order batsman scored 218 runs with the help of 20 fours and eight sixes. For their match-winning contributions, Umar and Bilal shared the player of the final award. Tournament awards: Player of the tournament: Zafar Gohar (Central Punjab) - 458 runs, 38 wickets Best batsman of the tournament: Imran Butt (Balochistan) – 934 runs Best bowler of the tournament: Nauman Ali (Northern) – 54 wickets Best wicketkeeper of the tournament: Kamran Akmal (Central Punjab) – 41 dismissals Scores in brief: Northern 254 all-out, 61 overs (Faizan Riaz 116, Rohail Nazir 80; Faheem Ashraf 5-54, Bilal Asif 3-37, Aizaz Cheema 2-56) and 405 all-out, 111.3 overs (Haider Ali 134, Ali Sarfraz 81, Rohail Nazir 70, Zeeshan Malik 38, Faizan Riaz 22; Bilal Asif 8-112) Central Punjab 675-8d, 155.1 overs (Umar Akmal 218, Azhar Ali 119, Zafar Gohar 99, Salman Butt 74, Babar Azam 69, Kamran Akmal 41; Faizan Riaz 2-62, Mohammad Musa 2-115, Nauman Ali 2-183)

  SB News KARACHI (December 29, 2019):-Central Punjab’s Umar Akmal recorded his second double-century in first-class cricket on day three of the final of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament against Northern at Karachi’s National Stadium. The middle-order batsman made 218 runs from 265 balls, adding 95 runs to his overnight score on Sunday. He cracked a total of 20 fours and eight sixes in an innings which played a vital role in helping his side pile up a 421-run first innings lead. Central Punjab declared on 675 for eight. Umar got the desired assistance from Zafar Gohar, who fell just one run short of what would have been his career’s second century at this level, at the other end. The bowling all-rounder scored 99 from 168 balls, hitting 12 fours and two sixes, as the pair stitched a solid 215-run partnership for the sixth-wicket before Zafar was dismissed off Faizan Riaz’s bowling. For Northern, Nauman Ali, Mohammad Musa and Faizan picked up two wickets each. Northern, in their second innings, were 109 for two when stumps were drawn. Nineteen-year-old Haider Ali was the star performer with his unbeaten 50. The young opener crafted a 75-run opening partnership with Zeeshan Malik, who scored 38, hitting six fours, before falling to Bilal Asif. Haider has struck seven fours in the 113 balls he has faced to date and he will be joined by Faizan Riaz at the other end when the play resumes on Monday. The two have a daunting task of surmounting the 312-run trail to avoid an innings defeat. Umar Amin (17) was the other batsman to fall as he nicked Faheem Ashraf, who took five wickets in the previous innings, to be caught behind. Scores in brief: Northern 254 all-out, 61 overs (Faizan Riaz 116, Rohail Nazir 80; Faheem Ashraf 5-54, Bilal Asif 3-37, Aizaz Cheema 2-56) and 109-2, 36 overs (Haider Ali 50 not out, Zeeshan Malik 38) Central Punjab 675-8d, 155.1 overs (Umar Akmal 218, Azhar Ali 119, Zafar Gohar 99, Salman Butt 74, Babar Azam 69, Kamran Akmal 41; Faizan Riaz 2-62, Mohammad Musa 2-115, Nauman Ali 2-183)

  By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (December 29, 2019):-Bahawalpur on Sunday clinched the title of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) T-20 Blind’s Cricket Trophy 2019 third times in a row after threshing Peshawar in the final by 7 wickets at Dring Cricket Stadium, Bahawalpur. Hosts Bahawalpur won the toss and opted to bowl first. Sanaullah and Haroon Khan opened the innings for Peshawar. Peshawar made a brisk start and made 66 runs in first 6 overs, Sanaullah played-on a ball which hit on his face. He got out after scoring 57 runs off 37 balls. Haroon Khan got retired hurt after scoring 55 runs. Peshawar scored 197 runs in 20 overs for the loss of 4 wickets.  Shahzaib and Ijaz shared one wicket each. Bahawalpur in reply, chased the target 198 in 17.1 overs for the loss of 3 wickets. Moeen Aslam again shined with the bat and made sparkling unbeaten 126* off 56 balls featuring 11 boundaries and 4 sixes. Rahid Ullah and Mohsin Khan claimed 1 wicket each. Bahawalpur won the final by 7 wickets. Moeen Aslam was judged best players of the final match. Eight (8) teams including Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Okara, Gujranwala, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Peshawar and Bahawalpur participated in the event that was played from 25th to 29thDecember at Bahawalpur. Islamabad, AJK, Peshawar and Bahawalpur were the 4 semifinalists. While the final was played between Peshawar and Bahawalpur that won by Bahawalpur.  Shozeb Saeed, Deputy Commissioner Bahawalpur, Syed Sultan Shah, Chairman Pakistan Blind Cricket Council, Dawood Mehmood Malik Regional Chief National Bank of Pakistan were the guests and distributed prizes amongst the players. Player of the Tournament: B1: Tehseen  (AJK) B2: Matiullah Khan (Lahore) B3: Iftikhar Tiger (Okara) Best Wicket Keeper: Mohammad Waseem (Peshawar)

  SB News KARACHI (December 28, 2019):-Centuries by Azhar Ali and Umar Akmal consolidated Central Punjab’s position in the final of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament against Northern at Karachi’s National Stadium on Saturday. Central Punjab amassed a mammoth score of 466 for five and boasted an imposing 212-run first innings lead when stumps were drawn on day two of the five-day contest. The day started with the pair of Azhar and Salman Butt – who made 74, hitting 14 boundaries – pushing the Northern bowlers on the backfoot and denying any early inroads as the pair added 38 runs in their second-wicket partnership of 95 runs. Azhar, the Pakistan Test captain, added 102 runs to his overnight score and raised his first-class career’s 39th century. He made 119 runs from 212 balls, out of which 14 were dispatched for boundaries. After Salman’s wicket in the first session, Azhar continued to craft solid partnerships with the middle-order batsmen. He paired with Central Punjab captain Babar Azam, who cracked nine fours and a six in his 89-ball 69, for a 125-run stand for the third-wicket before adding 93 runs for the fourth-wicket with Umar Akmal, who returned unbeaten after scoring a blistering 123. Umar spanked Northern bowlers all around the ground smashing five sixes and 12 fours in the 115 balls he has faced to date. He took the leading role in the 98-run partnership for the fifth-wicket with his elder brother Kamran Akmal (41). This was the 29-year-old’s second century of the tournament and his 17th overall in first-class cricket. Umar will have Zafar Gohar (nine) on his side when play resumes on Sunday. Scores in brief: Northern 254 all-out, 61 overs (Faizan Riaz 116, Rohail Nazir 80; Faheem Ashraf 5-54, Bilal Asif 3-37, Aizaz Cheema 2-56) Central Punjab 466-5, 104 overs (Umar Akmal 123 not out, Azhar Ali 119, Salman Butt 74, Babar Azam 69, Kamran Akmal 41; Nauman Ali 2-113)

  By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (December 28, 2019):- Hosts Bahawalpur and Peshawar stormed into the final of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) T-20 Blind’s Cricket Trophy (Grade-1) after winning semifinals at Dring Cricket Stadium Bahawalpur on Saturday. Final will be played on Sunday at same venue. 1st Semifinal: Peshawar beat AJK Peshawar beat Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in a sensational finish. Peshawar reached the target on the last ball of the innings to jump into final.   In the morning, AJK won the toss and decided to bat first. AJK riding on the special ton of Nisar Ali posted 222 runs on the board for the loss of 6 wickets in allotted 20 overs. Nisar Ali made 105 off 54 balls featuring 20 fours. Faisal Mehmood also played well for his 60 runs off 39 balls. For Peshawar, Mohsin Khan was the successful bowler, who took 3 wickets while Shafiullah, Haseenullah and Haroon Khan claimed 1 wicket each. Peshawar started well and both openers Sanaullah Khan and Haroon Khan shared century opening stand. Haroon Khan’s wicket opened door of fight back to AJK, he was bowled by Arfan Majeed after scoring 58 runs. Sanaullah’s 86 runs off 46 balls helped Peshawar to creep near the target but his wicket fetched another twist in the game. But Mohsin Khan’s 31 balls 51 runs enabled his team to cross the line on the last ball of the innings in a nail biting finish. Arfan Majeed took 2 wickets and Idrees Saleem claimed one. Result: Peshawar won by 6 wickets Man of the Match: Mohsin Khan Second Semifinal: Bahawalpur beat Islamabad Islamabad won the toss and put Bahawalpur into bat. Islamabad put tremendous pressure in first 6 overs of the game. Islamabad dismissed openers Moeen Aslam and Mohammad Ijaz cheaply they made 4 runs and 12 runs respectively. Mohammad Ayyaz also got out 14 runs. Thereafter, Mohammad Rashid and Zafar Iqbal played exceptionally well and built 122 runs partnership for 4th wicket and took their team out of whirlpool. Mohammad Rashid made 77 runs off 33 balls and Zafar Iqbal scored 76 off 38 balls. Mohammad Daniyal scored 14 runs and Shahzaib made 10 runs. Bahawalpur in their 20 overs made 264 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. Anees Javed, Yasir Andleeb, Hasnain Shamim took a wicket a piece. Islamabad in reply scored 196 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs. Shahzaib Hasan scored 61 runs off 37 balls and Anees Javed made 51 runs. Ijaz and Shahzaib took 2 wickets each. Result: Bahawalpur won by 68 runs Man of the Match: Zafar Iqbal

  Sports Desk ISLAMABAD (December 27, 2019):-A five-wicket haul by Faheem Ashraf and an unbeaten 57-run stand between Salman Butt and Azhar Ali put Central Punjab in a commanding position on day one of the final of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament against Northern at Karachi’s National Stadium on Friday. Faheem, the Central Punjab bowling all-rounder, returned five for 54 – his sixth five-fer at this level – as Northern were bowled out for 254 in 61 overs after electing to bat. He, along with Aizaz Cheema (two for 56), sparked an early collapse which saw the batting side getting reduced to five for 69 before a gutsy 116 by Faizan Riaz rescued Northern. Faizan, who now moves to fifth spot in the highest run-getters’ chart after scoring his third century of the tournament, smashed 14 fours in his 133-ball knock and crafted a defiant 155-run stand for the sixth-wicket with Rohail Nazir, who made a solid 80. Rohail, the Pakistan U19 captain, faced 115 balls, out of which 12 were dispatched for fours. As Central Punjab captain Babar Azam looked for a breakthrough, Faheem provided his side the crucial wicket of Faizan after which off-spinner Bilal Ashraf (three for 37) wrapped up the tail. Opener Salman took a lead role in Central Punjab’s reply scoring an unbeaten 48. The left-hander cracked 10 fours in the 67 balls he faced on the first day of the match, which helped Central Punjab to 87 for one in 21 overs before stumps were drawn. Batting at the other end was Pakistan Test captain Azhar Ali – who scored 17 not out in 37 balls. Central Punjab’s only wicket to fall was Ahmed Shahzad. The right-handed opener made 20 off 22 balls before getting dismissed by Nauman Ali, the leading wicket-taker of the tournament. Central Punjab trail Northern by 167 runs. The second day’s play will begin at 10am on Saturday.  Scores in brief: Northern 254 all-out, 61 overs (Faizan Riaz 116, Rohail Nazir 80; Faheem Ashraf 5-54, Bilal Asif 3-37, Aizaz Cheema 2-56) Central Punjab 87-1, 21 overs (Salman Butt 48 not out, Ahmed Shehzad 20)

    By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (December 27, 2019):- Bahawalpur, Peshawar, Islamabad and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) reached in the semifinals of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) T-20 Blind’s Cricket Trophy (Grade-1) after winning their matches played at Bahawalpur on Friday. The both semifinals will be played on Saturday at same venue, as 1st semifinal will be played between Peshawar and AJK while 2nd semifinal will be played between Bahawalpur and Islamabad. Day-3, match 1:-Bahawalpur Vs Okara:  (Venue: Dring Cricket Stadium, Bahawalpur) Bahawalpur overpowered Okara by six wickets. In the morning, Bahawalpur won the toss and put Okara into bat. Badar Munir got out early thereafter Okara innings didn’t take off.  Okara posted 128 runs for loss of 6 wickets in allotted 18 overs. Match was reduced to 18 overs a side due to dense fog in the morning. Iftikhar Tiger roared with the bat, he made 50 runs. Usman took 2 wickets and Shahzaib claimed 1 wicket. Bahawalpur chased the target of 129 runs in 14.2 overs for the loss of 4wickets. Babar remained unbeaten on 40* runs and Moeen Aslam’s was dismissed on 39.Badar and Fakhar Abbass took a wicket a piece. Result: Bahawalpur won by 6 wickets Man of the Match: Babar Ali Day-3, Match 2: Karachi Vs Lahore (Venue: Saqid Public School Cricket Ground, Bahawalpur) Lahore whipped Karachi by 94 runs. Lahore batted first after winning the toss, made 266 for the loss of 9 wickets in 20 overs. Lahore Captain Matiullah once again excelled and made 114 runs off 47 balls and Salman contributed with 23 runs. For Karachi, Shair Ali and Tahir Ali shared one wicket each. Karachi in reply made 172 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 20 overs.  Waliullah made 73 runs and Tahir Ali scored 26 runs. Kamran and Karamat took a wicket a piece. Result: Lahore won by 96 runs Man of the Match: Matiullah Day-3, Match-3: Peshawar vs Islamabad: (Venue: Dring Cricket Stadium, Bahawalpur) Peshawar won the toss and decided to bowl first. Islamabad posted 168 runs on the board for the loss of 3 wickets in 20 overs. Anees Javed once again played Captain’s innings. He remained not out 101 off 74 balls. Mohsin Khan took 3 wickets. Peshawar in reply chased the target in only 14 overs without losing any wicket. Haroon Khan and Sanaullah remained unbeaten on 93* and 65* runs respectively. Result: Peshawar won by 10 wickets Man of the Match: Haroon Khan Day-3, Match-4:AJK Vs Gujranwala: (Venue: Saqid Public School Cricket Ground, Bahawalpur) AJK batted first, made 174 runs for loss of 2 wickets in allotted 15 overs. Nisar Ali scored 67 off 38 balls and Tehseen made 42 runs off 33 balls. Tayyab and Zubair took 1 wicket each. In reply, Gujranwala made 140 for the loss of 5 wickets in allotted 15 overs. Israr Hassan was their top scorer with 26 runs and Tayyab made 24 runs. Nisar Ali took 1 wicket. Result: AJK won by 34 runs Man of the match: Nisar Ali

  SB Report KARACHI (December 26, 2019):-Twenty-five players will take part in the 14-day long Skills 2 Shine training camp for girls at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Center at the National Stadium, Karachi from Saturday, 28 December. The camp will run till 10 January 2020. The players have been selected on the basis of their performances showcased during the Skills 2 Shine U18 Women T20 Championship held from 15th – 25th November 2019 in Lahore. The coaching camp will provide the players a pathway in the build-up to the ICC Women’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2021 which will be played in Bangladesh. Names of players: Aima Saleem (Islamabad), Arijah Haseeb (Karachi), Anoosha Nasir (Karachi), Ayesha Naseem (Abbottabad), Bisma Amjad (Karachi), Fajar Naveed (Islamabad), Fatima Khan (Lahore), Fatima Zehra Shah (Islamabad), Gul Rukh (Lahore), Gul Uswa (Multan), Hamna Bilal (Islamabad), Hania Ahmar (Karachi), Inshra Asad (Karachi), Khushbakht Waseem (Lahore), Laiba Fatima (Karachi), Laraib Malik (Lahore), Laveeza Munir (Lahore), Momina Riasat Khan (Abbottabad), Najiha Alvi (Karachi), Nazish Rafique (Lahore), Rida Aslam (Islamabad), Saima Malik (Quetta), Shawal Zulfiqar (Lahore), Yusra Amir (Karachi) and Zaibunisa(Charsadda). Coaching staff: Shahid Anwar (Head coach), Wasim Yousafi (Assistant coach), Gemaal Maqsood Hussain (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Saima Malik (Physio), Rabia Siddiqui (Junior Physio), Fizza Abid (Academy Manager), Shanullah (Analyst),

  By Our Special Correspondent ISLAMABAD (December 26, 2019):=Fresh after their historic Test series win against Sri Lanka in Karachi, Pakistan cricket stars will be in action in the final of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament between Central Punjab and Northern which commences from Friday, 27 December, at the National Stadium, Karachi. The return of Pakistan Test captain Azhar Ali and premier middle-order batsman and Central Punjab’s captain Babar Azam bolster Central Punjab, while the comeback of Pakistan U19 captain Rohail Nazir and top-order batsman Haider Ali strengthen the Northern side. The final of Pakistan’s premier domestic competition, will be a five-day affair. The contest not only provides an opportunity to both sides to get hold of the prestigious silverware but will also help them make history by being the first winners of the revamped tournament. The winner will also pocket a huge Rs. 10000,000 prize money. The runners-up will bag Rs.5000,000. The two sides have had an intriguing journey this season and were separated by three points on the table.  Central Punjab finished on top with 133 points, while Northern, with 130 points, ended the group-stage at number two. When the two teams meet on Friday, Northern will be eyeing revenge as two out of Central Punjab’s three wins this tournament came against them. Road to the final: Central Punjab – 3 wins, 1 loss, 6 draws, 133 points From the onset of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Central Punjab established themselves as strong contenders to secure a berth in the final. Though their journey started off with a draw in a Punjab Derby at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, their points tally got a massive boost in the next two rounds on the back of comprehensive wins. They rolled over Northern by an innings and 100 runs at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad in the second round and outplayed Balochistan, at their home, in the third round to record a victory with a margin of an innings and 12 runs. In their third win of the season, they beat Northern, this time by a margin of 205 runs, in Faisalabad in the seventh round. Central Punjab have lost only one match this tournament, against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 211 runs at NBP Sports Complex, Karachi, in the ninth-round. Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt, second and fourth on the highest run-getters charts, have been instrumental in ensuring their side’s success with the bat. Kamran has scored 865 runs with the help of three centuries and three half-centuries and he averages 61.79 in 14 innings. The 38-year-old has not only stamped his authority with the bat but has also been at the forefront of his side’s success with the gloves with 35 dismissals – the most in the tournament. Left-handed opener Salman Butt has struck three centuries – including a double-century – and two half-centuries in his 827 runs at an average of 75.18. With the ball, their spin-duo of Zafar Gohar and Bilal Asif, second and third on the list of highest wicket-takers, have been the major tormentors. Left-arm orthodox Zafar has taken 38 wickets, while off-spinner Bilal has 32 scalps to his name. Central Punjab captain Babar Azam said: “The first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is a prestigious tournament for the country and has a great significance in our domestic cricket as it serves as a nursery for Test cricketers. “We are very happy to be in the final and look to stretch our match-winning form into this contest. I missed some domestic matches because of the national duty but it was heartening to see the progress that our side made over the course of the tournament. “Our batting is our main strength and I am looking forward to contribute for Central Punjab after scoring a hundred against Sri Lanka at the same venue. “It is certainly going to be an exciting contest and from what I have seen in the camp, our all players are charged up for it.” Road to the final: Northern – 3 wins, 2 losses, 5 draws, 130 points Northern languished at the bottom of the points table for the first half of the tournament but traveling to Karachi in the sixth round brought a much-desired change in their fortunes. They recorded their first win of the tournament against Sindh at the National Stadium and took the tally of wins to three in the ninth and tenth rounds by securing wins over Balochistan by eight wickets and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 39 runs at UBL Sports Complex. Their captain Nauman Ali, the top wicket-taker in the tournament, has spearheaded his side’s epic turnover. His left-arm spin has garnered 52 wickets at an average of 22.85. He has recorded as many as five five-wicket hauls this season and has the best strike-rate (42.60) amongst the top ten wicket-takers. Northern’s Zeeshan Malik and Faizan Riaz are amongst the seven batsmen to have scored double-centuries this season. The two lead the batting charts for their side with Zeeshan being the leading run scorer from his side with 726 runs at an average of 55.85, while Faizan has 719 runs at an average of 71.90. Top-order batsman Umar Amin has the third most runs for Northern. The 30-year-old has made 595 runs – which include a century and three half-centuries – across 10 matches. Northern captain Nauman Ali said: “We are geared up for the final. There won’t be any such pressure on us against Central Punjab in the final. We have been involved in high pressure matches throughout our journey so we are aware how we have to handle the tough situations. “Our batting has done well with the likes of Zeeshan Malik and Faizan Riaz as both of the batsmen have scored double centuries. In the middle-order we have the experience of Umar Amin, Hammad Azam and Ali Sarfaraz. “I have had a good run this tournament with the ball and I am looking forward to lead my side from the front in the bowling department. We will also have Musa Khan available for the final and he will be joined by Waqas Malik, who has done well throughout the season. We have high expectations from both of them. The presence of senior pacers like Sadaf Hussain and Sohail Tanvir further bolsters our bowling department. “Our team has a good blend of youth and experience which makes it a complete unit. I am hopeful that we will do well in the final.” Officials The team of the match officials will be led by match referee Iftikhar Ahmed. Ahsan Raza and Asif Yaqoob will be on the on-field umpires, while Rashid Riaz will carry out the duties of the TV umpire. Tahir Rasheed will be the reserve umpire. Individual awards In line with the PCB’s policy of incentivising top performers, the best players of the tournament will be awarded lucrative prize moneys. The best batsman, bowler and wicketkeeper of the tournament along with player of the tournament will get PKR500,000 each. The man-of-the-final will be awarded PKR50,000.