Gujranwala Giants wins again thanks to Azan and Uzair as Hyderabad finish last

• Gujranwala Giants kept their hopes of making the Pakistan Junior League playoffs alive with a six-wicket win against the Hyderabad Hunters.
• The Giants batsmen staged an incredible comeback on a beautiful afternoon on Saturday to limit their opponents to 129 for eight.

Gujranwala Giants kept their hopes of making the Pakistan Junior League playoffs alive with a six-wicket win against the luckless Hyderabad Hunters in the tournament’s 13th encounter on Saturday afternoon at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The victory gives the Giants a slim shot of making the playoffs (net run rate -0.280). If the Rawalpindi Raiders (net run rate -0.444) lose their game against the Bahawalpur Royals on Saturday night and end with a worse net run rate than the Giants, the Giants will advance to the playoffs.

After a blazing start by their opponents, the Giants staged an incredible comeback on a beautiful afternoon on Saturday to limit the Hunters to 129 for eight. The Giants batsmen then played some bold strokes to reach the goal in 16.2 overs.

Their outstanding performance was left-handed opener Azan Awais. With a succession of blistering strokes, the player of the match award winner guaranteed his side’s overwhelming triumph before succumbing to Mohammad Zubair Jnr for 61 off 43 balls (five fours, two sixes). Captain Uzair Mumtaz followed up his three-fer with 31 off 25 balls (two fours, one six). For the Hunters, Zubair took two wickets.

Hunters had previously won the toss and elected to bat. The openers, captain Saad Baig and Moiz Rana, put on a 72-run stand in 11 overs. Saad made 43 from 44 balls (seven fours) before mistiming a lofted drive off Uzair Mumtaz. Moiz was out for a run-a-ball 25 as the score reached 91 in 13.2 overs.

Giants with a comfortable chase! #Next11 l #PJL I #GGvHH pic.twitter.com/tPpYbXOtsa

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— Pakistan Junior League (@ThePJLofficial) October 15, 2022

Hunters failed to capitalise on the foundation laid by the openers, causing another setback in the middle and lower order. Arbaz Khan (15), Muneeb Wasif (5), Ali Naseer (11), Salman Ahmed (5), Isai Thorne (2), and Aftab Ibrahim (8) all returned to the dugout in rapid succession as the Hunters lost steam in the middle and death overs to finish with a score of 129 for eight.

Uzair had an outstanding game with the ball, taking three wickets for 13 runs in three overs with his off-spin. Mohammad Ibtisam bowled with pace and penetration for two wickets and 17 runs in four overs. Matthew Tromp’s fine run with the ball continued with two wickets for 25 in four overs.

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