In a thrilling T10 exhibition match at Narowal Sports Complex, Lahore Qalandars showcased their dominance by securing a comprehensive 10-wicket victory over PCB XI on Sunday. Fakhar Zaman stole the spotlight with his breathtaking innings, outshining Asif Ali’s impressive knock of 62 runs.
Opting to chase a target of 120 runs, Lahore Qalandars’ opening pair, Fakhar Zaman and Tahir Baig, provided an explosive start, amassing 50 runs in just four overs, with Baig contributing significantly to the scoring.
Fakhar Zaman, sensing the opportunity to take charge, launched an assault on leg-spinner Usman Qadir, smashing him for three consecutive fours in the fifth over. Undeterred, he continued his onslaught in Qadir’s second over, hitting him for three massive sixes and achieving his fifty in a mere 20 balls.
The left-handed opener exhibited his power-hitting prowess once again in the eighth over, dispatching three consecutive sixes to complete the chase with ease. Fakhar remained unbeaten on a scintillating 68 runs from just 23 balls, while Tahir Baig provided solid support, finishing not out on an impressive 51 runs from 22 deliveries.
Earlier, after winning the toss and electing to bat first, PCB XI openers Kamran Akmal and Ali Imran started aggressively, accumulating 29 runs in the first two overs. However, Qalandars’ captain, Rauf, struck with his first ball, dismissing Ali Imran for 16 runs.
Soon after, Akmal also fell victim to Ahsan Bhatti, who caught and bowled him after scoring 19 runs off 13 balls. Abid Ali couldn’t make a substantial contribution either, getting bowled by Tayyab Abbas for just 6 runs.
With PCB XI struggling at 45-3 in 4.2 overs, Asif Ali and Khushdil Shah formed a crucial partnership but initially found it challenging to accelerate the scoring. The duo managed to take PCB XI to 73-3 in 8 overs before Asif unleashed his attacking prowess in the second over of Haris Rauf, smashing four consecutive sixes against the Qalandars skipper.
Asif continued his onslaught in the final over, striking a couple of boundaries off Hunain Shah, before eventually getting dismissed for an impressive 62 runs from 26 balls. Asif’s quickfire knock propelled PCB XI to a competitive total of 119-5.
Ultimately, Lahore Qalandars’ dominant performance, led by Fakhar Zaman’s explosive innings, ensured a comfortable 10-wicket victory over PCB XI. The match served as a thrilling display of power-hitting and showcased the prowess of these talented cricketers.
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