Sindh down Punjab in nail-biter

Centuries from Iftikhar Ahmed and Umar Amin along with four wickets from Juniad Khan guided Sindh to a 12-run win against Balochistan in the Pakistan Cup at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Friday.

Opted to bat first, Sindh posted a mammoth total of 366 for eight in their allotted 50 overs. Ahmed scored 116 off 86 balls hitting nine four and six sixes and had a 144-run partnership with skipper Umar Amin, who himself scored 102 off 108 ball with the help of 15 fours. Opener Salman Butt scored 40 off 42 and Bilal Asif scored 44 off 17 balls.

For Balochistan, veteran pacer Umar Gul and all-rounder Muhammad Nawaz claimed two wickets each for 53 and 71 runs respectively.

Chasing 367, Balochistan put up a great show but was eventually bowled out for 354 in 49.2 overs, courtesy Khan’s figures of four for 55 in his 7.2 overs.

For Balochistan, captain Ahmed Shehzad played a stunning knock of 84 off just 49 balls with the help of 13 fours and one six.

He was well supported by wicketkeeper-batsman Bismillah Khan, who scored 81 off 62 balls with the help of eight fours and two sixes.