By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) annexed the 4th Naya Nazimabad Ramazan Cup Cricket Tournament 2016 by whipping State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) by eight wickets in the one-sided final under floodlights at the picturesque Hussain Lawai Stadium, located in Naya Nazimbad, Karachi.
Batting first, SBP was restricted to 132 for seven in the allotted 20 overs. Skipper Israrullah was the top scorer with 29 off 25 balls, hitting five boundaries, while Farrukh Shahzad (22 off 35 balls) and Daniyal Rajput (18 off 14 balls) also reached double figures as the innings was rocked by Sadaqat Ali, who returned the figures of three for 24 off four overs.
SNGPL reached the target of 133 in the 19th over, after having lost a couple of early wickets. They were guided to a comfortable victory by the duo of Khurram Shahzad and Taimoor Sultan who added 104 for the third wicket without being separated.
Khurram Shahzad led the victory charge with a fluent unbeaten 63 off 45 balls with the help of five towering sixes and two fours. He was ably supported by Taimoor Sultan who remained undefeated with 47 off 51 balls, cracking three boundaries alongwith a solitary six.
The chief guest of the evening, Hussain Lawai, President, Summit Bank Limited, in whose name the cricket stadium is named, presented Man of the Match award of Rs 75,000 to Khurram Shahzad for his enterprising knock.
Adnan Akmal, the skipper of SNGPL, received the winners’ trophy and a cash award of Rupees one million while Israrullah, the SBP captain, collected the runners-up trophy and cash award of Rs five lacs.
SNGPL’s all-rounder Hussain Talat, became richer by Rs 50,000 after being declared Man of the Tournament, having scored 165 runs besides capturing 13 wickets.
Mohammad Irfan of the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC)\ was adjudged the best bowler, while Taimoor Sultan and Adnan Akmal, both of them from SNGPL, got adjudicated as the best batsman and the best wicketkeeper of the tournament respectively. They received a purse of Rs 25,000 each.
Dawood Sports earned the best disciplined team cash award of Rs 50,000, which was received by Jamil Ahmed, Joint Secretary of the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA).
