Faisalabad, 24 October 2019: Northern beat Balochistan by 52 runs at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium to win the National T20 Cup 2019-20.
The Imad Wasim-led side set a 168-run target after being asked to bat by Balochistan captain Haris Sohail.
Umar Amin’s brilliant 38-ball 60 at the top of the order provided a solid foundation to Northern. The left-handed opener struck six fours and three sixes.
For his exploits with the bat, Umar bagged man-of-the-final award.
An unbeaten partnership of 58 runs between Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan ensured that Northern finished their innings on a high.
With two fours and a six, Nawaz cracked an unbeaten 25-ball 31, while Shadab scored 25 not out, studded with two fours, from 15 balls.
All-rounders Amad Butt and Hussain Talat took two wickets each for 19 and 25 runs, respectively.
Balochistan stuttered in the chase early on as they lost Imam-ul-Haq (9 off 10) and Bismillah Khan (0 off 1) off Sohail Tanvir’s two consecutive deliveries in the third over.
Awais Zia and Imran Farhat kept Balochistan’s hopes alive with a third-wicket stand worth 44 runs before Awais, who scored 28 off 27 balls with five fours, was caught and bowled by Imad.
With 32 runs from 26 balls, which had five fours, Imran was the highest scorer in the run chase.
For Northern, Sohail was the highest wicket-taker with three scalps for 27 runs in four overs.
Nawaz and Shadab took two wickets each for 10 and 23 runs, respectively.
Tournament awards
Player of the tournament – Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), 215 runs and six dismissals in six matches
Best batsman of the tournament – Awais Zia (Balochistan), 276 runs in seven matches
Best bowler of the tournament – Sohail Tanvir (Northern), 14 wickets in seven matches
Best wicketkeeper of the tournament – Rohail Nazir (Northern), seven dismissals in seven matches
Scores in brief:
Northern 167-5, 20 overs (Umar Amin 60, Mohammad Nawaz 31 not out, Shadab Khan 25 not out; Amad Butt 2-19, Hussain Talat 2-25)
Balochistan 115 all-out, 18.2 overs (Imran Farhat 32, Awais Zia 28; Sohail Tanvir 3-27, Mohammad Nawaz 2-10, Shadab Khan 2-23)
