Shamyl & Saad Score Centuries
Shaheen Shah Afridi claimed a sensational 7-fer, including a hat-trick, to win the finals of the National Championship Cup for his Gold side by 101 runs against Greens, led by Shadab Khan, on Tuesday, in Multan.
Greens needed 341 runs to win from the allotted 50 overs, but were rocked by the early dismissal of in-form Fakhar Zaman who made 31.
In the first two games of the championship, Fakhar had scored two consecutive match winning centuries. He was rested in the third game in which Suleman made a century.
After Fakhar’s wicket, young batters Saad Baig and Omair Yousuf stitched a 90-run partnership to take the team total to 143 in 20.5 overs.
Razaullah dismissed Umair Yousuf who made impressive 44. Greens 143/2.
Saad Baig, who played brilliantly for his 67 in 51 balls, was trapped plumb in front by wrist spinner, Faisal Akram. Greens 147-3.
That’s exactly when Gold skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi got a sniff of victory. The game turned on it’s head the moment Shaheen reintroduced himself to bowl fast and furious short-pitched deliveries, and dismissed Mohammad Suleman (2), Farhan Yousaf (10) and opposite number Shadab Khan (6).
In the previous games, Farhan Yousaf had played sensibly as a middle-order batter.
From 143-1, Greens were reduced to 167-6.
Afterwards, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf made a comeback by forging a 61-run partnership with Naseem Shah. Faheem played magnificent shots, including cuts, pulls and drives.
Shaheen again bowled himself to remove Naseem Shah, who made 31 in just 27 balls. Greens 228-7, still 113 runs away from the target.
Then, Shaheen took a hattrick by claiming the wickets of Mehran Mumtaz, Salman Mirza and Mohammad Hasnain in three consecutive balls.
Greens were all out for 239, thus losing the finals by 101 runs.
Earlier, Gold batted first to post an impressive 340 on the board.
Opening batter Shamyl scored 111 from 93 balls, laced with 11 fours and 4 sixes. He had also scored two fifties in last three games.
Saad Khan made 112.
For Greens, Naseem, Faheem and Shadab took two wickets, each.
In the National Championship Cup 2026, four teams by the names of Greens, Gold, Whites and Blues participated.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan led Gold, Greens, Whites and Blues respectively.
The Shadab Khan-led Greens had remained undefeated till the finals by winning all three games while the Shaheen Shah Afridi-led Gold lost the first two games in a row, but somehow managed to reach the finals by winning the third game and bettering it’s net run rate.
