Khurana, Sana Drive Karachi To Clinch 2nd All-Pakistan Women Cricket Title

PESHAWAR, Nov 5 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Nov, 2016 ) : Opening pair Khurana and Sana Sajjad guided Karachi to clinch the 2nd Al-Pakistan Mrs. Saad Invitational Women Cricket Tournament which concluded here at Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

The two openers Khurana and Sana added a vital 86 runs partnership in the first wicket with Sana added a cracking 49 runs off 34 balls laced with 10 boundaries and one six and Khurana scored another 44 runs of 35 balls with seven boundaries.

The two guided Karachi to setup 140 runs winning target. There were thundering applauses of female and male spectators when Karachi marched as victorious in a dramatically ended final with Peshawar Green remained just three runs short from the winning target.

It is also for the first time that female players playing cricket in front vociferous male spectators who support Peshawar players with with cheering hands, shouting and whistling. Sana, the Karachi star batter, missed her half-century for the third times consecutively but she gave a denting task as far as the bowling of Peshawar Green, Peshawar White and Mardan team was concerned.

For Peshawar there was a superb batting by Aysha who struck very key 73 runs off 48 balls with seven boundaries and two sixes but she could not rescued her team beaten by strong Karachi team. Aysha also had the honor of hitting the first six as a female batter in Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium besides hitting another six sixes and got the most sixes trophy as well.

Earlier, Karachi skipper Ramin won the toss and decided to bat first when her team scored 139 runs for the loss four wickets after playing the allotted 20 overs with opening pair of Khurana and Sana added 86 runs opening wicket partnership.

Khurana made 44 runs and Sana scored 49 runs. Skipper Ramin made 17 runs with two boundaries and wicket-keeper batter Najia Alvi made 12 runs, thus setup a target of 140 runs for Peshawar Green to chase.

For Peshawar Green Rohida got two wickets for 23 runs in her four overs spell, Samreen and Nousheen got one wicket each.

In reply, unluckily Peshawar scored 136 for the loss of seven wickets after playing 20 overs.

Peshawar batting line up led by star batter Aysha who hammered a cracking 73 runs off 48 balls with seven boundaries and two sixes, could not save his team from defeat at the hands of Karachi team and remained three runs short from the winning runs.

At once Peshawar needed 28 runs in 12 balls and thanks to Aysha who got 20 runs in one over with two sixes and as many boundaries, leaving Peshawar to 8 runs in the last over. Aysha Khan hit a four runs on the first ball in the last over and caught at the long-on boundary on the second ball.

Peshawar needed four runs off four balls but it lost two wickets in the meantime with Hadia Khan got just one runs and thus Karachi won the final by three runs. Only Sana Liaqat scored 10 runs for Peshawar, none of the other batter could cross the double figures.

For Karachi Rameen and Rida took two wickets each while Yusra, Sana Urooj and Shabnam got one wicket each. Karachi after winning Duktar-e-Balochistan, PCB U-17 titles also secured this victory.

At the end, Malik Saad Shaheed, Chairman ICMS Malik Tajamal Hayat, Ex-Test Cricketer Jalauddin graced the occasion as guest and gave away the trophies and cash prizes. The winner awarded Rs. 0.1 million as cash prize while the runners-up got Rs.

50,000 as cash prize. Peshawar Aysha Khan who made 200 runs in the tournament declared as best batter and also got Women player of the final by scoring 73 runs. She also got the most sixes hitting award (seven sixes).

Najia Alvi of Karach was declared best wicket-keeper, Sana Urooj of Karachi got Women player of the tournament, Hira of Peshawar, who got nine wickets, declared as best bowler. Khurana was awarded as best fielder.

Malik Saad Shaheed announced to have eight teams in the 3rd edition to be organized at the same venue next-year. Organizing Secretary Malik Saad Shaheed sports Trust, Officials of Shama Associate Industries Nowshera, and large number of spectators were also present. APP/ijz/ff