Sajid Khan spins KP to second successive Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title
KARACHI: Midway through their second innings, it had become pretty evident Northern were playing for a draw and some pride in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final.
With defending champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa already having the first innings lead that would’ve given them a title in case of a stalemate and Northern still requiring 228 runs for victory with five wickets remaining, the latter knew a win was an improbable proposition.
A draw at the National Stadium, if they played out the overs in the final session, would’ve been a fighting one for Northen, who were the best team in the round-robin stage.
But Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had Pakistan Test spinner Sajid Khan in their ranks.
And he ensured Khyber Pakhtunkhwa won the title in style having shared the title with Central Punjab last season after their final had ended in a thrilling tie.
Sajid (5-32) took the final five Northern wickets on the last day of the final which saw 15 wickets tumble as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa won by 169 runs.
“It’s a proud moment as it is fifth trophy for us,” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa captain Iftikhar Ahmed said, referring to their other titles in the National Twenty20 Cup (2) and the Pakistan Cup in the last three seasons since the new region-based domestic system came in place.
Chasing 384 for victory, Northern folded for 214 with opener Mohammad Huraira (57) and middle-order batter Farhan Riaz (49) offering some resistance. They had earlier dismissed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for 265 in their second innings with Rehan Afridi’s 79 being the highlight.
Rehan was on 42 with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on 152-5 when play started on Wednesday and his runs provided the base for his side to set a daunting target for Northern.
After his fellow overnight batsman Iftikhar (25) was lbw to Mohammad Musa (3-71), Rehan combined with Sajid (39) to add 58 runs before he pulled Kashif Ali to Waqas Ahmed at fine leg. He hit eight boundaries and a six in his knock.
Sajid hit two sixes and as many fours, adding another 28 runs with Mohammad Wasim Jr (11) before both fell in the similar fashion in the same over by Mohammad Nawaz (4-65), edging a turning ball to Mubasir Khan at slip.
Imran Khan added a quick 16 as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s tail continued to wag before Nawaz ended their innings when he had Sameen Gul stumped.
Northern knew they had to get the runs quickly and came racing out of the blocks.
Opener Haider Ali struck four boundaries in his 17 off nine deliveries but gave Sahibzada Farhan a straightforward catch at third slip as he tried to guide an Imran delivery down to third man.
Huraira, the teenage sensation who finished as this season’s top-run getter in his debut season with 986 runs, kept up the scoring rate as he struck six fours his 49-ball knock with Northern bringing up their 100 runs in the 13th over.
But he fell soon after, trying to hit Iftikhar out of the park but only finding long-off.
“It would’ve been an even better feeling if we’d won the match,” Huraira said after being awarded the award for the best batter.
Skipper Umar Amin, who had been more sedate by comparison — hitting three fours in 33 off 40 deliveries, fell in similar fashion trying to hit a six off Iftikhar as Northern slipped from 105-1 to 113-3.
Nawaz added a quick 26 with four hits to the fence before he was the fourth batter to fall, giving Wasim a return catch off a short ball.
Wasim then had Rohail Nazir (7) caught behind soon after and Northern’s hopes of snatching a victory had all but evaporated. Their hitting had turned into blocking and they needed their remaining batters to stick with Farhan.
Sarmad Bhatti (4) couldn’t do that, with Nawaz bowling him round his legs and Farhan fell lbw to Nawaz with the score at 205. He hit four boundaries in his 77-ball vigil.
Sajid then dismissed Mohammad Musa (4) and Waqas Ahmed (0) in the space of three deliveries before sealing victory for his side when player of the tournament Mubasir could only chip his delivery to Iftikhar at short mid-wicket.
It was time to celebrate. Sajid looked up to the skies, his team-mates taking the stumps before he joined them as they danced in a huddle.