Islamabad emerged victorious in the Hanif Mohammad Cup 2023-24, finishing unbeaten in the Super Four stage and seizing the top spot in the tournament’s points table. In the final round of the Super Four stage held across Faisalabad, Islamabad secured a convincing eight-wicket victory against AJK at Iqbal Stadium, while Hyderabad triumphed over Abbottabad by 14 runs at Bohranwali Ground. This led to Islamabad’s triumph as they sealed the title, with Hyderabad securing the second spot in the tournament.
Rizwan Mehmood from Hyderabad emerged as the top run-scorer in the tournament, amassing 361 runs in seven matches, including two centuries and a half-century. Hyderabad’s off-spinner Daniyal Hussain Rajput took the maximum wickets, claiming 17 scalps in seven matches, while Rohail Nazir from Islamabad and Khayam Khan from Abbottabad registered the most dismissals behind the stumps, each accounting for 13 dismissals in seven games.
In the match between AJK and Islamabad at Iqbal Stadium, Islamabad chased down a target of 100 runs in 10.5 overs, with Sarmad Bhatti’s four consecutive boundaries steering them to victory. For AJK, Usman Maroof was the highest scorer with 24 runs, but Islamabad’s bowlers, led by Shayan Sheikh and Arsal Sheikh with three wickets each, restricted AJK to a modest total of 99.
The game between Abbottabad and Hyderabad witnessed an impressive century by Rizwan Mehmood (109 runs) guiding Hyderabad to a total of 269-9. Despite a valiant half-century by Khalid Usman (73 not out), Abbottabad fell short by 14 runs while chasing 270. Jawad Ali claimed a five-wicket haul for Hyderabad, dismantling Abbottabad’s batting lineup.
Islamabad’s unbeaten streak in the tournament propelled them to the Hanif Mohammad Cup 2023-24, showcasing their dominance across various matches and securing their well-deserved victory.
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