Four-run First Innings Lead Gives Rawalpindi Title

Lahore (Muzaffargarh.City – 13th Aug, 2021) Rawalpindi won the Northern-leg of the two-day City Cricket Association Tournament 2021-22 on first innings lead basis after their final against Islamabad ended in a draw at the Shalimar Cricket Ground on Thursday.

Rawalpindi successfully defended their first innings score of 206 to dismiss Islamabad for 202. When the match ended, Islamabad were 52 for one after Rawalpindi had set them a 239-run victory target.

The stars of Rawalpindi’s victory were Hamza Arshad and Raheel Wakeel, who scored 54 and 50, respectively in their side’s modest 206, and Kashif Ali, who grabbed four wickets for 54 runs to help his side dismiss Islamabad four runs short.

In the two-group 11-team Northern-leg, Rawalpindi topped Pool A with two wins and two draws from five matches, while Islamabad topped Pool B with one win and one draw from four outings.

Rawalpindi’s Hamza, who scored 54 and 69 in the final, was the most successful batsman with 550 runs at 78.57 with a best score of 129 not out.

Second, on the batting chart was Sarmad Hameed from Jhelum who scored 431 runs from five matches at 86.20 with an unbeaten 157 his best in the tournament. The right-handed batsman had scored two centuries and one half-century in the tournament, while his teammate Mohammad Ajmal finished as the third leading run-getter with 335 runs at 67.

Rawalpindi’s Kashif Ali, Jhelum’s Shoaib Amir and Attock’s Nadeem Sikander shared the bowling honours with 26 scalps apiece.

Kashif bagged two five-fers and one 10-wicket haul, leg-spinner Shoaib’s best figures in an inning were six for 38, while left-arm spinner Nadeem’s best returns in an innings were six for 93.

The triangular stage commences in three City Cricket Association Tournaments

The triangular stage of the CCA Tournaments has commenced in Central Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh.

In the three-group, 19-team Central Punjab-leg, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Sheikhupura qualified for the triangular stage. Faisalabad and Sialkot topped their respective pools with two wins and two draws from five matches each while Sheikhupura topped Pool A with four drawn games from six outings in the tournament.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, amongst 19 teams, divided in three groups, Bannu, Mardan and Haripur qualified for the triangular stage.

In Sindh, amongst 17 participating teams, divided in three groups, Sukkur, Zone VI and Zone VII qualified for the triangular stage.

Thirteen teams in the Balochistan-leg of the CCA Tournament are competing in the group stage to secure the two spots in the final. These teams are divided into two groups.

The final of the 14-team Southern Punjab-leg will be played between Muzaffargarh and Vehari from 15 August.

Scores in brief:

Final

Result – Match drawn (Rawalpindi won the final on first innings lead)

Rawalpindi 206 all out, 63.5 overs (Hamza Arshad 54, Raheel Wakeel 50; Mohammad Amir 6-47) and 234-4d, 51 overs (Hamza Majeed 133, Hamza Arshad 69; Hammad Khan 2-20)

Islamabad 202 all out, 62.3 overs (Mohammad Irfan 52, Umar Nawaz 49; Kashif Ali 4-54) and 52-1, 6 overs (Azeem Bari 25 not out)