KARACHI: Long-discarded Pakistan right-hander Sohaib Maqsood had his moment of glory in his hometown on Tuesday as Multan stunned former champions National T20 Cup winners Karachi Whites by a handsome margin of eight wickets.

The 31-year-old Multan-born batsman, who has been out of the national limited-overs teams for almost three years, made short work of a challenging 164-run target at the Multan Cricket Stadium by bludgeoning a career-best 88 in the unbroken partnership of 160 from only 96 deliveries with Mohammad Irfan Khan, whose contribution was an equally effervescent 67.

The pair came together after openers Sardar Hasan Raza (six-ball duck) and Gulraiz Sadaf (6) were back in the hut with only six runs on the board. Their intent was clear as they slammed nine sixes as many fours during the rollicking stand to help Multan romp with 10 balls to spare.

It was Sohaib’s 11th half-century in 94 T20 games as the tall batsman clobbered seven sixes and hit three fours in his 57-ball innings that usurped a previous best score in this format — 87 for Faisalabad versus Rawalpindi at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi nearly 13 months ago — and fittingly finished off Karachi Whites by hoisting occasional off-spin of Awais Zia for a maximum before being declared the undisputed recipient of the Rs50,000 man-of-the-match award.

Irfan’s 39-ball effort included six boundaries and two sixes while the only Karachi Whites bowler to make any impression was ex-international Raza Hasan. The slow left-armer took 1-17 in his four overs.

Earlier, Karachi Whites frittered a decent start after Mohammad Sami elected to bat at the toss. Khurram Manzoor, yet another Pakistan discard, and Rameez Raja put on 101 for the second wicket but once they were separated the rot set in as six wickets fell for the addition of mere 42 runs.

Khurram, who hit seven fours and two sixes, was the top scorer with 62 off 44 deliveries, while Rameez adorned his 45-ball 54 with five boundaries and one six. Barring Awais Zia, who made 12, no other Karachi batsman could reach double figures as Akbar-ur-Rehman was left stranded on an eight-ball 9 when the overs ran out.

Former Pakistan left-arm paceman Mohammad Irfan grabbed two wickets for 23 runs, while all-rounder Mohammad Imran returned figures of 2-29 with both bowlers completing their four-over quotas.

Meanwhile in a tense penultimate-ball finish, Peshawar sneaked to an unconvincing two-wicket victory against the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) in the first fixture on Tuesday.

After Asif Afridi had opted to bat first upon winning the toss, Fata limped to 124-5 with Adil Amin’s run-a-ball 44 — which was studded with two fours and one six — the highest score of the match. Samiullah and Asif himself contributed 19 apiece with both of them hoisting a brace of sixes.

Left-arm paceman Zia-ul-Haq kept Fata in the game with three strikes but Peshawar managed to get over the line thanks man-of-the-match Nabi Gul who struck two sixes and as many fours in a 22-ball knock of 34.

Apart from Zia (3.32 in 3.5 overs), leg-spinner Usama Mir chipped in with two wickets for 27 runs from his four-over stint.

Tuesday’s results:

Multan beat Karachi Whites by eight wickets.

KARACHI WHITES 163-7 in 20 overs (Khurram Manzoor 62, Rameez Raja 54; Mohammad Irfan 2-23, Mohammad Imran 2-29); MULTAN 166-2 in 18.2 overs (Sohaib Maqsood 88 not out, Mohammad Irfan Khan 67 not out).

Peshawar beat Fata by two wickets.

FATA 124-5 in 20 overs (Adil Amin 44 not out, Asif Afridi 19 not out, Samiullah 19); PESHAWAR 125-8 in 19.5 overs (Nabi Gul 34, Israrullah 23; Zia-ul-Haq 3-32, Usama Mir 2-27).

Wednesday’s fixtures: Lahore Blues vs Rawalpindi (11:00am); Lahore Whites vs Islamabad (3:00pm).

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2018