Khan Research Labs come out on top in nail-biter

By: Mushtaq ahmad on 15:11

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Khan Research Labs (Yasin 36, Bhatti 4-23) beat Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (Azhar Ali 59*, Usman Khan 2-28) by 3 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

	Zain Abbas' took two wickets in an over to go with his 23 off 24 balls to claim the Man-of-the-Match award © PCB  Enlarge

A lower-order charge followed by disciplined bowling fashioned a tight win - the second in two days - for Khan Research Labs, as they beat Sui Northern Gas Pipelines by three runs. Defending 11 off the last over, with Azhar Ali on 57 still at the crease, 19-year-old Usman Khan gave away only eight and claimed a wicket off the final ball to seal the win.

Having elected to bat first, KRL's openers Mohammad Yasin and Zain Abbas took advantage of the field restrictions in the first six overs, hitting seven fours in a solid 40-run partnership. Amid steady progress, the only glitch being Abbas' wicket in the seventh over, 21-year old medium pacer Bilawal Bhatti tore through KRL's middle order in the space of three legitimate balls. He bowled a wide in between dismissing Saeed Anwar jr and Mohammad Yasin and then broke Ali Khan's stumps off the next ball as well to leave KRL at 75 for 4 from 74 for 1 in the 13th over. An unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership of 33 runs in 19 balls between Naved Yasin and Zulfiqar Jan took KRL's score to 131 in 20 overs, the exact total they made during their Super Over win against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited.

SNGPL's chase hinged on Azhar Ali, who arrived to the crease after opener Azeem Ghumman fell in the second over. He and captain Taufeeq Umar added 51 runs together, before the latter became the first of two wickets claimed by Zain Abbas in the 11th over. Again SNGPL had to rebuild and Ali forged a 61-run stand with Ali Waqas, comprising six fours and a six. With two set batsmen at the crease and Ali having already completed his fifty, Rahat Ali struck a telling blow removing Waqas in the 19th over. An equation that read 11 off six balls became four off one when Usman Khan had Imran Khalid caught off the last ball.