KARACHI: It rarely happens when batting ace Babar Azam is outshone by a compatriot whenever the Pakistan captain strikes a century.

But that was precisely the scenario on Thursday during a high-scoring thriller National T20 Cup clash in Rawalpindi. Haider Ali is not part of the 15-man national squad for the Twenty20 World Cup but still he gifted himself an early birthday present.

The Attock-born batter, who will be 21 on Saturday, produced a high-class innings at the Pindi Cricket Stadium to inspire Northern to victory over Babar’s Central Punjab.

Central Punjab became the first side in the ongoing edition to post a 200-run total on the back of Babar’s sixth T20 century, while thinking they had achieved enough during the mid-innings break.

But they were stunned by an extraordinary batting effort from Northern. Haider was the mastermind behind the monumental chase for 201 as the right-hander thumped a career-best 91 from just 53 deliveries while striking half a dozen sixes and as many fours.

The innings of Haider — who tragically lost his Pakistan spot after a run of low scores during the Zimbabwe tour last April — came against an attack featuring bowlers who have all played for the country and none suffered more than Hasan Ali as the pacer was taken to the cleaners. Hasan’s four overs cost 46 runs, Faheem gave away 42 and Ehsan 45.

The only man to escape punishment was Wahab Riaz, the experienced left-armer giving only 17 runs in three overs.

Mohammad Nawaz, in the meantime, came good for the second game on the trot. The left-hander banged four sixes and two fours in a 21-ball knock of 41 as he and player-of-the-match Haider stitched together a third-wicket spectacular partnership of 84 off just 45 deliveries.

Asif Ali, the enigmatic Pakistan batter who is part of the World Cup squad, played the finisher’s role pretty well for a change. The 29-year-old, who helped Haider add 58 in 30 balls, bludgeoned a 14-ball 28 including three fours and a six.

Early on Babar hogged the limelight in no uncertain terms after winning the toss. The 26-year-old run machine, playing in his 194th match in the format, anchored Central Punjab to exactly 200 for the loss of two wickets.

Pakistan discard Ahmed Shehzad set the tone with a boundary-laden 37 from only 20 balls during the opening stand of 67 in 33 balls with his captain. The right-hander slammed eight fours.

After wicket-keeper Mohammad Akhlaq (21 off 17 balls, two sixes) became Northern captain Shadab Khan’s first victim of the tournament, it was left to Babar and ex-Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik to provide the impetus at the backend of the innings with a blazing stand of 92 in just 50 deliveries.

Babar duly reached his hundred in the 18th over by carving Haris Rauf for three successive fours. Malik collected 31 with his 21-ball effort adorned with four boundaries.

Haris — who is in the World Cup squad — was wayward both in his line and direction as figures of 0-50 in four overs suggested.

Northern are still second behind Sindh — who were in action against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Thursday’s night fixture — on the leaderboard on net run-rate with both sides having won thrice apiece.

Scoreboard

CENTRAL PUNJAB:

Ahmed Shehzad lbw b M. Nawaz 37

Babar Azam not out 105

Mohammad Akhlaq c Asif b Shadab 21

Shoaib Malik not out 31

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-1, NB-1) 6

TOTAL (for two wkts, 20 overs) 200

FALL OF WKTS: 1-67, 2-108.

DID NOT BAT: Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Qasim Akram, Hasan Ali, Wahab Riaz, Ehsan Adil, Usman Qadir.

BOWLING: Mohammad Nawaz 4-0-29-1 (1w); Sohail Tanvir 3-0-32-0 (1nb); Imad Wasim 2-0-15-0; Haris Rauf 4-0-50-0; Shadab Khan 4-0-34-1; Mohammad Musa Khan 3-0-36-0.

NORTHERN:

Nasir Nawaz lbw b Ehsan 6

Sarmad Hameed c and b Wahab 19

Haider Ali not out 91

Mohammad Nawaz c Akhlaq b Hasan 41

Asif Ali c Faheem b Hussain 28

Shadab Khan not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-9, NB-5) 15

TOTAL (for four wkts, 19.4 overs) 201

FALL OF WKTS: 1-26, 2-56, 3-140, 4-198.

DID NOT BAT: Imad Wasim, Rohail Nazir, Sohail Tanvir, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Musa Khan.

BOWLING: Hasan Ali 4-0-46-1 (4nb, 2w); Ehsan Adil 4-0-45-1 (3w); Faheem Ashraf 4-0-42-0; Wahab Riaz 3-0-17-1 (1nb); Usman Qadir 2.4-0-26-0; Hussain Talat 2-0-24-1.

RESULT: Northern won by six wickets.

UMPIRES: Saqib Khan and Nasir Hussain.

TV UMPIRE: Qaiser Waheed.

MATCH REFEREE: Mohammad Anees.

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Haider Ali (Northern).

FRIDAY’S FIXTURES: Balochistan vs Southern Punjab (3:00pm PST); Northern vs Sindh (7:30pm PST).

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2021