Lahore Lions, Karachi storm into final of 8th National Veterans (Over 50) Cup

Pakistan News & Features Services

Lahore Lions and Karachi stormed into the final of the 8th National Veterans (Over 50) Cup 2024 Cricket Tournament 2024, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), at the end of the league matches on September 27. The final is scheduled to be contested on September 29. 

Heavy rains washed out both the third round matches at Lahore and only one of the games, which was also shortened, was possible at Sialkot. In the only completed match of the day, Karachi overwhelmed Sialkot by six wickets to book their slot in the final. 

Lahore Lions cruised into the final by becoming the Group A champions with five points, while Lahore Panthers and Multan Whites could secure only three points and Balochistan ended last with a solitary point. Karachi topped Group B by winning all three matches which earned them six points. 

Sialkot finished runners-up with four points while Gujrat and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) claimed a point each. 

The start to the match between Karachi and Sialkot was delayed by more than an hour to make the conditions playable at Faraz Sports Ground, Sialkot. It was decided to reduce it to 20-overs-a-side contest and Karachi chose to bowl first after calling correctly. 

Sialkot got off a cracking start through the opening pair of Muhammad Mannan (29 off 17 balls) and Mirza Asif (14 off 13 balls) as they added 39 for first wicket in only 3.5 overs. 

Number three Muhammad Sohail (39 off 26 balls) sustained the momentum but the spin trio of Rizwan Qureshi (4-17), Jaffer Qureshi (2-13) and Sharafat Hussain (2-17) bowled superbly to restrict the home side to 130 for nine in the allotted 20 overs. 

Openers Fawad Barry (21 off 22 balls) and Irfan Ali Khan (17 off 10 balls) provided Karachi a promising start in pursuit of the target of 131 but the game opened up when they lost quick wickets to be reduced to 58 for four in the 10th over. The unbroken 73-run fifth wicket stand between Iqbal Shaikh (40 off 33 balls) and Asif Siddiqui (35 off 23 balls), however, got them home with three overs to spare. 

Lahore Lions was happily placed against Lahore Panthers when heavy rains arrived to force an abandonment of their last league encounter at Shah Faisal Ground. 

Put into bat in overcast conditions, Lahore Lions did well to reach a total of 125 for two in 18.4 at which point the rains, with strong winds and thundershowers, lashed the ground. Ishtiaq Ahmed (38 off 35 balls) and Jamshed Ali (34 off 44 balls) were firmly in control when the match was halted, having added 69 for the unbroken third wicket stand. 

Opener Khalid Saleem set the tone with a fluent 33 off 24 balls, striking six boundaries. Both the wickets were captured by leg-spinner Rauf Wyne. 

The match between Multan Whites and Balochistan at Cricket Centre Ground, Lahore was evenly poised when called off due to heavy downpour. The Balochistan skipper, Azizullah, opted to to bat first after winning the toss despite the heavy atmosphere. 

Junaid Nainintalwala led the charge from the outset, scoring 39 off 42 balls with the help of five boundaries. He dominated the 39-run opening stand with Zafar Hussain, who made 12 off 32 balls. 

Multan Whites pulled it back through the spin trio of Asif Shah, Daud Yousuf and Zubair Hussain, who picked up a wicket each besides choking the flow of runs. Balochistan moved to 78 for three at the end of 18 overs when the action stopped for the day.