Karachi Dolphins skipper Shahid Afridi slammed 50 off 38 balls
Leading from the front, Shahid Afridi slammed a blistering half-century to help Karachi Dolphins script a comprehensive 40-run victory over Peshawar Panthers in their opening match of Faysal Bank T20 Cup at Lahore City Cricket Association on Saturday.
The swashbuckling all-rounder slammed four boundaries and a six in his 38-ball 50 as Karachi Dolphins managed a competitive total of 164-7.
The target remained beyond Peshawar’s approach as they were skittled out for 124 in the final over.
Barring Iftikhar Ahmed (57 off 47) and skipper Akbar Badshah (32 off 30) no other Peshawar batsman could manage to make impact.
Slumping to 4-20 thanks to the early blows by Karachi seamres, Peshawar were in deep trouble but Iftikhar and Badshah brought their side back into game by sharing 68 runs for the fifth wicket.
However, the dismissal of Badshah in the 15th over sparked another spell of collapse in Peshawar batting line and their wickets remaining half team toppled like nine pins.
Seamer Anwar Ali was the pick of Karachi bowlers with the figures of 2-24. Pacers Mohammad Sami and Sohail Khan and spin duo Misbah Khan, and Shahid Afridi claimed one wicket apiece.
Earlier, put to bat, Karachi lost opener Khurram Manzoor on the very first delivery but Shahzaib Hasan (33 off 14) and Khalid Latif (18) recovered the innings soon with a flamboyant 49-run stand.
However Karachi failed to sustain the momentum and slumped to 4-55 after seamer Azizullah removed Hasan, whose whirlwind knock was studded with four monster maximums and two boundaries, and Fawad Alam in the same over.
An archetypal Shahid Afridi switched on power hitting with the emergence and made the mockery of Peshawar bowlers with sparkling shots. Laced with four boundaries and a six, his glorious knock came to an end on run-out in the penultimate over.
Anwar Ali then plundered a sweltering 27 off 18 balls with the help of two fours and a six to take total past 160.
For Peshawar, Waqar Ahmed and Azizullah claimed two wickets apiece.
