KARACHI: Rawalpindi are effectively out of the semi-final race in the Cool & Cool present Jazz National T20 Cup after Karachi Whites upstaged them by six runs at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

In a seesaw encounter, Rawalpindi were restricted to 134-9 after Karachi Whites had collected 140-5. Veteran all-rounder Tariq Haroon, entrusted by stand-in skipper Asad Shafiq to bowl the final over of the match, conceded just three runs to enable Karachi Whites seal with fourth victory.

With eight points from six matches, Karachi Whites are almost guaranteed a last-four spot as they sit third behind Peshawar and Lahore Whites in the eight-team standings. Rawalpindi, currently in fifth place, have just four points from two wins in six matches.

As the norm in the Multan leg of the tournament, the captain winning the toss usually opts to bat first given the tricky nature of the surface and Asad was no exception either.

Despite losing openers Zain Abbas and Ahsan Ali early on with just 18 runs on the board, Karachi Whites prospered through two productive partnerships in which young Danish Aziz played a key role.

Just in his second T20 game, the 20-year-old Danish batted with composure to register his maiden half century in the format. The left-hander, who was named man-of-the-match, struck five boundaries and two sixes to make an undefeated 52 from 36 deliveries as he added 39 with Asad (28 off 25 balls, two boundaries) and 58 with Tariq (25 off 22, one six and one six).

Former Pakistan paceman Aizaz Cheema captured two wickets for 22 runs in four tidy overs.

Rawalpindi got their response to the chase on a bright note as discarded international Mukhtar Ahmed (30 off 21 balls, six boundaries) dominated the opening stand of 44 in the first six overs with debutant Zeeshan Malik (15 off 18).

But once they were out, the rot set in with wickets tumbling at regular intervals. Skipper Umar Amin, however, made a gallant attempt to steer his team through but after reaching 50, the left-hander was caught by Rameez Raja off left-arm paceman Mir Hamza to leave Rawalpindi in dire straits at 120-7 in the 18th over.

Umar’s 38-ball knock — featuring three sixes and as many fours — was his third score of 50 or more in the last four innings.

Hamza and fast bowler Tabish Khan each claimed two wickets.

Holders Peshawar, in the meantime, continued their unbeaten streak in the competition late on Wednesday night when they overcame Rawalpindi by 18 runs.

After opting to bat first when Zohaib Khan won the toss, Peshawar — who are already through to the semi-finals — were dismissed for 140 on the final ball of the innings after being 85-3 in the 11th over at one stage.

Sohaib Maqsood, the appointed Pakistan ‘A’ captain for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe, entertained his hometown fans with a breezy 30. The tall right-hander’s 21-ball knock was embellished with three boundaries and one six.

Veteran opener Riffatullah Mohmand struck four fours at the start of the match as he raced to 25 from 18 deliveries, while left-hander Fakhar Zaman hit a brace of boundaries in a run-a-ball 21.

All-rounder Hammad Azam and leg-spinner Shadab Khan claimed two wickets each, while Test left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar got rid of new Test batsman Iftikhar Ahmed for 16.

Rawalpindi’s reply finished at 122-8 despite skipper Umar Amin contributing a fine 52 off 51 balls with the aid of two sixes and as many fours. The Pakistan discard was seventh out when he was caught by Iftikhar off left-arm seamer Imran Khan Jr who ended up taking three wickets for 23 runs.

Zohaib’s slow left-armers fetched the popular Peshawar skipper excellent figures of 2-14 in four overs and also earned him the man-of-the-match award as his charges celebrated their fifth victory on the trot. Left-arm paceman Waqas Maqsood, who delivered the solitary maiden over of the night, took 2-25.

At the time of filing this report, fourth-placed Karachi Blues were playing leaders Peshawar in the night fixture on Thursday.

Thursday’s result:

Karachi Whites beat Rawalpindi by six runs.

KARACHI WHITES 140-5 in 20 overs (Danish Aziz 52 not out, Asad Shafiq 28, Tariq Haroon 25, Rameez Raja 19; Aizaz Cheema 2-22); RAWALPINDI 134-9 in 20 overs (Umar Amin 50, Mukhtar Ahmed 30, Zeeshan Malik 15; Tabish Khan 2-26, Mir Hamza 2-34).

Wednesday’s remaining result:

Peshawar beat Rawalpindi by 18 runs.

PESHAWAR 140 in 20 overs (Sohaib Maqsood 30, Riffatullah Mohmand 25, Fakhar Zaman 21, Iftikhar Ahmed 16; Hammad Azam 2-22, Shadab Khan 2-30); RAWALPINDI 122-8 in 20 overs (Umar Amin 52; Imran Khan Jr 3-23, Zohaib Khan 2-14, Waqas Maqsood 2-25).

Friday’s fixtures: Lahore Blues vs Islamabad (4:00pm); Lahore Whites vs Fata (8:00pm).

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2016