Rawalpindi: Opener Awais Zia smashed 92* to lead Balochistan to an emphatic six-wicket win over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the 17th match of the National T20 Cup.
The 34-year-old Awais paired with Akbar-ur-Rehman and added an 88-run stand for the fifth wicket after last year runners-up were struggling on 68-4 while chasing 155.
Earlier, Balochistan’s bowlers restricted KP to 154/6 and didn’t allow their batsmen to play their shots.
KP lost captain Mohammad Rizwan (5) in the third-over. Fakhar Zaman batted at a strike-rate of 100. He departed after scoring 34-ball 33.
Veteran batsman Shoaib Malik resisted from one end to guide KP to a respectable score. He made 74 in 44 deliveries which included eight fours and two sixes. Sahibzada Farhan made 12 while Wahab Riaz scored 7.
Superb knock from @realshoaibmalik!
LIVE: https://t.co/pZwDEj0KdD
WATCH: https://t.co/f9MKWYinHO#NationalT20Cup | #HarHaalMainCricket | #BALvKP pic.twitter.com/TjuMxRfvEz
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 10, 2020
For Balochistan, Akif Javed bowled economically as he finished with figures of 2-20 in his four overs. Umar Gul, Khurram Shehzad, Yasir Shah and Amad Butt took a wicket each.
Balochistan set to chase 155, lost Abdul Wahid Bangalzai in the first over. The leading wicket-taker of the competition Shaheen Afridi sent him back to the pavilion. He later removed Bismillah Khan in his second over.
A dominating start from KP!
LIVE: https://t.co/pZwDEj0KdD
WATCH: https://t.co/f9MKWYinHO#NationalT20Cup | #HarHaalMainCricket | #BALvKP pic.twitter.com/nadU0laN9Y
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 10, 2020
Left-hander Awais Zia secured one end and batted at a higher rate. Imran Butt (9) and Haris Sohail (1) lost their wickets in quick succession.
Awais took the charge in the ninth over where he smashed three boundaries off left-arm spinner Asif Afridi. They chased the target in the 17th over.
https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB/status/1314927088944721928
Awais hit 10 fours and quartet sixes and remained unbeaten. Akbar made 24* off 23 balls. Shaheen bagged two while Wahab Riaz and Arshad Iqbal took one. For his match-winning knock of 92, Awais was awarded player of the match.
Awais Zia is the Man of the Match!!!#NationalT20Cup | #HarHaalMainCricket | #BALvKP pic.twitter.com/c8HxasCuTV
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 10, 2020