SNGPL cruises WAPDA to lift QEA cricket trophy

WAPDA batting lineup was demolished by Samiullah Khan who took overall 11 wickets but specially 8 wickets in the second innings against the defending champions WAPDA to win the final by a big margin of 103 runs.
After winning the toss at National Cricket stadium Karachi, WAPDA put SNGPL to bat first. Captain Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali came to open from SNGPL but both the experienced batsmen contributed 16 runs for the opening partnership in 11 overs. SNGPL scored 259 runs in their 1st innings where middle order batsmen came to rescue the team. Iftikhar Ahmed 73 and wicketkeeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan 42 were the top scorers for SNGPL. Furious Wahab Riaz took 4 wickets while Waqas Maqsood picked up 3 wickets, Mohammad Asif 2 and Zahid Mansoor grabbed 1 wicket.

In reply to their 1st innings score, WAPDA put 271 runs on the score board. WAPDA’s start was not good as both the openers added 24 runs for the 1st wicket partnership. Former Pakistani wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal scored 67 runs while Adnan Raees contributed 65 runs. Mohammad Abbas from SNGPL picked up 4 while Samiullah Khan and Azizullah got 3 wickets each.

SNGPL started their second innings with a deficit of 12 runs but the openers and top order once again failed to deliver a good start. SNGPL lost its 4 wickets on just 21 runs in 6.3 overs and once again form middle order Ifikhar Ahmed and Wicketkeeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan saved SNGPL from complete destruction. Iftikhar scored a brilliant ton with the help of 11 fours. He got out on 106 runs while with the same number of boundaries, Mohammad Rizwan remained unlucky to fall 9 runs short of his century. He got out on 91 runs by Khalid Usman. After this pair only Yashir Shah resisted a little as he added 21 runs. 8 SNGPL batsmen could not move into double figures. SNGPL were bowled out on 268 runs and WAPDA required 257 runs to win the final of Quaid-e-Azam trophy 2017.
Mohammad Asif and Waqas Maqsood 3 wickets each while Khalid Usman grabbed 2 wickets and Wahab Riaz, Zahid Mansoor got 1 wicket apiece from WAPDA.

While chasing the target of 257 runs, WAPDA lost its first wicket quickly as Salman Butt got out on just 4 runs and then Samiullah started his show. The left-arm fast bowler grabbed career best 8 wickets for 62 runs in the second innings. Zahid Mansoor 38, Aamer Sajid 38, Khushdil Shah 34 were the main scorers from WAPDA. Wahab Riaz added a quick 24 of 30 balls from down the order. 7 WAPDA batsmen were unable to convert their score into double figures while 3 of them could not opened their account and went back to pavilion. Samiullah was pick up of the bowlers as he grabbed 8 wickets in the second innings while Yasir Shah got the remaining 2 wickets as SNGPL and Samiullah wrapped up WAPDA’s second innings on just 153 runs on the fifth day of the match and won the final by 103 runs.

Winning Captain Mohammad Hafeez received 2.5 million Pakistani rupees and the winning trophy while Salman butt received 1.5 million Pakistani rupees. Samiullah for his match winning performance was declared man of the final match.