Zafar Gohar's all-round performance confirms Central Punjab semi-final spot

• Urdu round-up is attached here

Lahore, 25 March 2022: An all-round performance by Zafar Gohar guides Central Punjab to a 77-run win over Sindh and confirms their semi-final spot in the Pakistan Cup after their 10^th and final round match at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

Batting first, Central Punjab were dismissed for 261 in the 49^th over. Opening batter Ahmed Shehzad top-scored with a 75-ball 68. The right-handed batter innings included nine boundaries. Left-handed batter Zafar, batting at number eight scored 51 off 62, hitting four fours and two sixes.

For Sindh, Muhammad Umar picked three wickets for 43. Right-arm spinner Abrar Ahmed bagged two wickets for 53.

In reply, Sindh were bowled out for 184 in the 42^nd over. Sarfaraz Ahmed top-scored with a 75-ball 59, which included three fours and one six.

For Central Punjab, Zafar and Hussain Talat bagged three wickets apiece. Left-arm spinner Ali Asfand picked two wickets for 37 from 10 overs.

Wahab Riaz led Central Punjab ended-up taking fourth spot in the six-team tournament with 10 points from 10 outings. Sindh ended-up on the third position with 12 points from six wins in the tournament.

At the Multan Cricket Stadium, Azam Khan’s quick-fire 83 led Southern Punjab to a three-wicket win over Northern in their final round match.

Chasing 221 to win, Southern Punjab achieved the target in the 29^th over for the loss of seven wickets. Wicketkeeper-batter Azam struck 83 off 39 balls, smashing 11 fours and four sixes. Sharoon Siraj batting at number three scored a 55-ball 48, which included four boundaries. Muhammad Imran batting at number eight returned undefeated on a 31-ball 40, hitting four fours and two sixes.

Earlier, after being asked to bat first, Northern managed to score 220 for six in 50 overs. Mubasir Khan coming to bat at number five top-scored with a 88-ball 59, hitting three fours. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Raza-ul-Mustafa returned undefeated on 56 off 71 balls, which included five fours.

Southern Punjab finished the tournament with eight points from 10 matches and ended up on the fifth position. Northern finished with only two points from 10 matches and ended-up taking the sixth spot.

Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – the other two semi-finalists will play the final round match at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad tomorrow.

The semi-finals will be staged at the Multan Cricket Stadium on 28 and 29 March and final will be staged on the same venue on 31 March. The semi-finals and final will be broadcast live from Multan Cricket Stadium.

Scores in brief:

Southern Punjab beat Northern by three wickets at Multan Cricket Stadium

Northern 220-6, 50 overs (Mubasir Khan 59, Mohammad Raza-ul-Mustafa 56 not out, Ali Sarfraz 32)

Southern Punjab 224-7, 28.5 overs (Azam Khan 83, Sharoon Siraj 48, Muhammad Imran 40 not out; Athar Mehmood 2-47, Mehran Mumtaz 2-63)

Central Punjab beat Sindh by 77 runs at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad

Central Punjab 261 all out, 48.2 overs (Ahmed Shehzad 68, Zafar Gohar 51, Umar Akmal 37; Mohammad Umar 3-43, Abrar Ahmed 2-53)

Sindh 184 all out, 41.3 overs (Sarfaraz Ahmed 59; Zafar Gohar 3-38, Hussain Talat 3-40, Ali Asfand 2-37)