PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday defeated Southern Punjab by 10 runs to lift the National T20 Cup.
KP started with openers Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan scoring quick runs. Fakhar scored 67 off 40 balls before being given lbw off Aamer Yamin’s bowling. Later in the innings, veteran all-rounder, Shoaib Malik, dismantled Southern Punjab’s bowling line-up, scoring 56* off just 22 balls, helping KP set Southern Punjab a target of 207.
Southern Punjab started off poorly, before Hussain Talat and Khushdil Shah steadied the ship. Khushdil was not up to his very best as he fell for 34 off 24 balls. His wicket left Southern Punjab a monumental task and they eventually failed to cross the finishing line. Southern Punjab could only manage 196 in their 20 overs and lost the match by 10 runs.
Shoaib Malik was crowned the man of the final for his scintillating batting display. KP was the dominant team throughout the tournament and scooped up all the major awards at the end of the tournament.
Read more: KP defeats Sindh to reach National T20 Cup’s final
Fakhar Zaman got into form at the right stage of the tournament and was the top scorer with 420 runs. The top wicket-taker was the young left-arm fast bowler, Shaheen Afridi, with 20 wickets to his name. Mohammad Rizwan was the most successful wicket-keeper with 10 catches and two stumpings in the tournament.
