Fakhar Zaman outshined Asif Ali’s 62-run knock as Lahore Qalandars registered a 10-wicket victory over PCB XI on Sunday in a T10 exhibition match at Narowal Sports Complex.
Chasing a target of 120 runs, Fakhar and Tahir Baig, provided an ideal start, scoring 50 runs in the first four overs, with Baig doing the bulk of the scoring.
Fakhar also took charge of the proceedings and attacked Usman Qadir, hitting the leg-spinner for three consecutive fours in the fifth over of the innings.
Fakhar continued his rampage against Qadir in his second over as well, smashing him for three sixes and in the process bringing up his fifty in just 20 balls.
The left-handed opener hit three consecutive sixes in the eighth over as well, to complete the chase, and remained unbeaten on 68* from 23 balls. Tahir baig also remained not out on 51* from 22 balls.
Earlier, after opting to bat first, PCB XI openers, Kamran Akmal and Ali Imran, started aggressively, smashing 29 runs in the first two overs.
Qalandars skipper, Rauf, provided much needed breakthrough in his first ball of the match and dismissed Ali Imran for 16 (13).
Akmal also departed shortly, as he was caught and bowled by Ahsan Bhatti, after scoring 19 off 13 balls.
Abid Ali didn’t hang around for long either, as he was bowled by Tayyab Abbas for 6.
With PCB XI reeling at 45-3 in 4.2 overs, Asif Ali and Khushdil Shah formed an important partnership, but found it difficult to accelerate straight away.
The duo took PCB XI to 73-3 in 8 overs, after which Asif upped the ante in the second over of Haris Rauf and smashed four consecutive sixes against the Qalandars skipper.
The hard-hitting batter wasn’t done yet as he also hit Hunain Shah for a couple for boundaries in the final over, before getting out for 62 (26), which helped PCB XI post a competitive total of 119-5.
