Captain Sahibzada Farhan’s solid 76-ball 69 and Abbas Afridi (3-34) stormed Peshawar Region to the final of the Pakistan Cup against the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in the first semi-final in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
FATA'S INNINGS
Chasing a target of 246, FATA were bundled out for 201, paving the way for Peshawar Region to win by 44 runs with 23 deliveries to spare.
For FATA Mohammad Sarwar remained the top scorer, compiling a 45-ball 56 and scoring three fours and three sixes before removed by Azam Khan.
Salman Khan looked good for his circumspect 60-ball 46, hammering three boundaries and two sixes.
FATA captain Khushdil Shah, was playing a decent hand, scoring 46-ball 42, before being cleaned up by Iftikhar Ahmed.
Other batters, Mohammad Farooq (13), Rehan Afridi (13), Rehan Afridi (13), Azaz Khan (3), Shahid Aziz (7), Asif Afridi (0), Usman Shinwari (8) failed to show any fight with the bat.
For Peshawar, Abbas Afridi (3-34) claimed three wickets.
Iftikhar Ahmed (2-28), Mohammad Imran (2-43) and Azam Khan (2-50) scooped up two wickets apiece.
PESHAWAR'S INNINGS
Put in to bat first, Peshawar posted 245/7 in 45 overs on the scorecard. In his calm innings, Farhan whacked 11 sixes before being cleanly bowled by Khushdil Shah.
FATA bowlers bounced back and squeezed Peshawar to 144-5, but it was Adil Amin who remained unbeaten and went on to score 68-ball 56, lacing with three fours and three sixes.
Nabi Gul was also played an important role, scoring 42-ball 43, studding with one four and three sixes, before being removed by Shahid Aziz.
Wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris scored run-a-ball 28, smashing one boundary and two sixes.
Other batters, Maaz Sadaqat (16), Kamran Ghulam (1), Iftikhar Ahmed (5), Abbas Afridi (3) failed to show any significant resistance with the bat.
Azam Khan played an unconquered cameo, compiling 5-ball 18, hitting a four and two sixes.
For FATA, Shahid Aziz (3-55) picked up three wickets.
Khushdil Shah (2-39) picked up two wickets.
Sameen Gul (1-47), Asif Afridi (1-46) took a scalp each.
This was Iftikhar Ahmed’s first domestic match following the team’s World Cup debacle.
