Lahore Lions, Multan Whites, Karachi and Sialkot emerge victorious in second round of 8th National Veterans (Over 50) Cup

Pakistan News & Features Services

Lahore Lions, Multan Whites, Karachi and Sialkot emerged victorious over their respective opponents in the second round of the 8th National Veterans (Over 50) Cup 2024 Cricket Tournament 2024, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

Lahore Lions outsmarted Balochistan by 180 runs at Shah Faisal Ground, Lahore, Multan Whites surprised Lahore Panthers by 11 runs at Cricket Centre Ground, Lahore, Sialkot defeated Khyber Pakhthunkhwa (KPK) by seven wickets at Faraz Sports Ground, Sialkot, and Karachi overcame Gujrat by seven wickets at CA Gold Cricket Ground, Sialkot. 

With two successive victories, Lahore Lions lead the points table in Group A while Lahore Panthers and Multan Whites, having won and lost a game each, placed next. Sialkot and Karachi share top slot in Group B, having won both their matches. The last round of league matches will be held on September 27 and the two team from each group will qualify for the final scheduled to be held on September 29. 

Lahore Lions proved too good for Balochistan while hammering them by a staggering margin of 180 runs. Getting off a rollicking start with openers Mohsin Aftab (106 off 135 balls) and Khalid Saleem (57 off 45 balls) adding 118 runs for the first wicket in 15 overs, the home side pressed the accelerator in the last 10 overs with Ishtiaq Ahmed (106 off 74 balls) and Imtiaz Tarar (56 off 30 balls) adding 122 for third wicket to liftthe total to a mammoth 347 for two in the allotted 40 overs. 

Balochistan folded while chasing the colossal target of 348. Opener Junaid Nainitalwala (49 off 69 balls) and Raju Gulfam (50 off 48 balls) were the only batters to offer resistance as their side was bowled out for 167 in 39.3 overs. The spin trio of Rehan Rauf (3-44), Asif Iqbal (2-1) and Imtiaz Tarar (2-38) shared the bowling honours. 

Multan Whites registered a thrilling 11-run victory over Lahore Panthers. Useful contributions from Muhammad Ashraf (65 off 71 balls), Asif Shah (59 off 33 balls), Raja Arshad (35 off 35 balls) and Chaudhary Haroon (33 off 58 balls) enabled Multan Whites to post a respectable total of 245 for five in the stipulated 40 overs, despite fine bowling from left-arm spinner Naved Sufi (2-28) and leg-spinner Rauf Wyne (2-55). 

Salman Khan (47 off 58 balls) and Hammad Maqbool (23 off 47 balls) laid a solid foundation for the Panthers before a mini-collapse opened up the contest. They recovered through middle-order batters Jamshed Suleman (49 off 34 balls) and Babar Butt (33 off 32 balls) but another rush of wickets saw them struggling. Even Sarwar Bhatti’s unbeaten 25 off 20 balls could not take them over the line. Left-arm medium-pacer Atif Khan (4-42) and left-arm spinner Asif Shah (2-51) were instrumental in bowling out the Panthers for 234 in 38.5 overs. 

Sialkot registered a cakewalk seven-wicket victory over KPK. Leg-spinner Muhammad Mannan’s five-wicket haul sent KPK crashing to 203 all out in 39.4 overs despite fighting knocks fro Nasrullah (52 off 50 balls), Arshad Ali (32 off 21 balls), Saifullah Khan (27 off 34 balls), Aurangzeb Khan (26 off 39 balls) and Abdul Wasay (24 off 19 balls). 

Muhammad Mannan then showed his prowess with the bat as he blasted 42 off 31 balls when opening the Sialkot innings. The momentum was sustained by Umair Ashraf, who returned unconquered on 74 off 37 balls, hitting five sixes and seven fours as the target was reached with 15 overs to spare. 

Karachi proved too hot to handle for Gujrat, trouncing them by seven wickets quite comfortably. Batting first, Gujrat was bowled out for 217 in 39.3 overs with Javed Ijaz Butt (43 off 71 balls), Rizwan Yousuf (39 off 45 balls), Ghulam Abbas (34 off 25 balls) and Nisar Ahmed (30 off 18 balls) being the principal scorers as the innings was rocked by medium-pacer Fawad Barry (3-66) and left-arm spinners Sharafat Hussain (2-29) and Jaffer Qureshi (2-34). 

Openers Irfan Ali Khan (61 off 45 balls) and Shahid Dawood (30 off 33 balls) put Karachi in the driving seat by adding 91 runs for the first wicket p in just 11.3 overs. The demolition job was completed by Muhammad Javed (47 off 36 balls) and Azhar Khan (37 off 21 balls) who added 79 in only eight overs for the unbroken fourth wicket stand to take their side to victory with seven wickets 13.3 overs in hand.

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