The first match of the evening, between two Group-C teams, went down to the wire and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) managed to beat Karachi Port Trust (KPT) by just one run.
Batting first, SBP lost opener Mukhtar Ahmed for just 5 runs but Ammad Butt walked in and decimated bowlers with spectacular hitting. He completed his fifty in just 17 delivers and got out for 77 off 28, including 9 sixes and 3 fours. State Bank posted 194 runs on the board. Captain Saad Ali (38), Rohail Nazeer (26) and Rizwan Hussain (22) were the other contributors.
Chasing the difficult target KPT openers laid a solid foundation. The first wicket fell on 95 when Rehan Tanoli got out on 52. Sajjad Hashmi and Hasan Sardar kept up the momentum but departure of the couple – Sajjad Hashmi (49) and Hasan Sardar (30) – pushed KPT in trouble. Captain Nadeem Javed stayed till the end but couldn’t rescue his team. KPT required 6 runs off the last ball but Nadeem Javed hit a four and ended up on the losing end by just one run.
With this win SBP have now had two victories in as many games while KPT completed the group stage with one win in three encounters. The other Group C teams, Pakistan Currency won their solitary match so far, Alamgir Gymkhana have lost both their games.
In the second match, of the night, Santex Group batted first against K-Electric and scored 173 runs. Ammad Alam topped the batting card with 62, Hussain Talat scored 48 runs. Muhammad Mohsin bagged 3 wickets for just 5 runs.
K-Electric, in reply, lost Malik Afzal early but Umair Yousuf and Jahanzeb Sultan stabilised the innings with the 66-run partnership. Umair Yousuf got out on 34.
KE plunged into a deep hole when 7 batsmen returned to the dugout for 140 runs. Muhammad Mohsin stepped up and took charge. He held one end and escorted his team to victory on the very last ball of the match. For the unbeaten 35 and the spectacular bowling performance, Muhammad Mohsin was declared man of the match.
K-Electric, with two triumphs in as many matches, sit comfortably at the top of the Group “B” while Santex Group ended up their Group-stage campaign with just 2 points.
In Group “C” encounters today, Pakistan Customs will take on PQA and the midnight clash will see
Alamgir Gymkhana and Pakistan Currency in action.
On Saturday, in Group “A” clashes, Misbah-Ul-Haq’s Saima Builders will face Agha Estate and Omar Associates will take the field against PAF.