• Northern successfully defended 153-run target at Multan Cricket Stadium.
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have not yet won in Multan despite winning their previous five games all in Rawalpindi.
• Northern faltered after choosing to bat when they sank to 31 for three during the powerplay.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa suffered their second straight defeat in the National T20 Cup 2022–23 on Monday at the Multan Cricket Stadium as Northern successfully chased down a 153-run mark.

The defending champions, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have not yet won in Multan despite winning their previous five games, all in Rawalpindi.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s skipper Khalid Usman returned unbeaten on 26-ball 28, smashing two fours and a six, but they were still seven runs short of the mark. Usman Khan Shinwari was in need of 15 runs from his final over when Khalid hit him for a first-ball six, but the left-arm pacer recovered well, allowing only two runs over the final five deliveries to finish with match stats of 4-0-29-0.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa made 65 for four in 8.2 overs because to Mehran Mumtaz’s excellent bowling performance after the openers got off to a quick start of 31 from 3.2 overs.

Mohammad Haris (41 off 17, three fours, and three sixes), Israrullah (three off seven), and Mohammad Sarwar Afridi (five off nine) were all dismissed by the 19-year-old Mehran, who had previously represented Pakistan in the ICC U19 World Cup in 2022. Mehran finished with three for 20 from four overs. Zaman Khan, a right-arm quick, finished with two for 31.

Prior to that, Northern faltered after choosing to bat when they sank to 31 for three during the powerplay. Right-handed Mubasir Khan joined Zeeshan Malik, who was batting at position four, and the two stitched together a 55-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Zeeshan led the way with a 40-ball 52 that included seven fours and a six. Mubasir hit two fours and a six to score 22 from 17 balls.

On the final ball of the innings, Northern were bowled for 152 after Aamir Jamal scored 13 runs in 20 balls (four fours).

Ihsanullah and Mohammad Imran both claimed three wickets for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

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