FAISALABAD - May 13, 2015: Rafatullah Mohmand and Mohammad Rizwan pulled off a sensational six wickets win for Peshawar Panthers against Abbottabad Falcons on day three of the Cool & Cool Presents Haier Super8 T20 Cup 2015 being played here at Iqbal Stadium on Wednesday.
In chase of 178 runs for four wickets in 20 overs by Abbottabad, Mohamand and Rizwan went for quick half centuries steering Panthers to achieve 182 runs for four in 19 overs. Thus their six wickets victory came with six ball to spare in which Iftikhar Ahmed (22) and Adil Amin (16) were also instrumental for Panthers.
As Israrullah went for a duck in the third over of the chase, Mohmand confronted with the Falcons attack firing 78 in 34 balls. His exception was an 18-run sojourn off Ahmed Jamal's first over. Mohmand reached his score alongside Iftikhar, studded with 10 fours and four sixes.
He played so rigidly that by the 10th overs end, Panthers reached 102/2. But Mohmand, who was later named man of the match - and Iftikhar fell one after the other - paving the way for Adil and Rizwan, who combined to follow suit. Rizwan long handle hitting dashed Falcons hopes they got after getting Mohamand as he struck unbeaten 51 in 28 balls, laced with four fours and three sixes. After Adil was bowled by Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Fayyaz (9*) joined Rizwan to finish off the job, which was well started by Panthers’ openers. Junaid Khan, Ahmed Jamal and Ghulam were the wicket-takers as one of the four batsmen who walked back was run out.
Electing to bat, Falcons top-order batsmen batted with grit getting their team a fighting total. Yasir Hameed (20) and Sajjad Ali (52) instigated 66 runs as openers, which was further strengthened by Adnan Raees, who cracked 24-ball 45 with three fours and as many sixes. An addition of 32 runs from Ghulam in 20 balls provided Falcons a fighting total. But it was not their day in front of Panthers punishers. With one run out, Falcons’ other three wickets were divided among Imran Khan, Imran Khan II and Zohaib Khan.
