Gwadar Sharks defeat Warriors to top PJL points table with five wickets from Saad Masood

• Sharks will now face Bahawalpur Royals in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday evening.
• Warriors will face Rawalpindi Raiders in the Eliminator on Wednesday.
• Saad Masood’s five-wicket haul was the first in PJL history.

Gwadar Sharks, coached by Sir Vivian Richards, clinched their spot atop the Pakistan Junior League points table with a crushing 77-run win over Mardan Warriors in the tournament’s 15th and final group stage game on Sunday night at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The Sharks will now face the Bahawalpur Royals in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday evening at the same location. On Wednesday, the Warriors will face the Rawalpindi Raiders in the Eliminator.

Leg-spinner Saad Masood (player of the match) bowled 2.3 overs for six runs and five wickets as the Warriors were bowled out for 100 in 16 overs. 3 overs. Warriors’ 178-run chase got off to a shaky start. Shahzaib Khan (0) and George Thomas (2) were out in the first 14 balls of the innings. Both wickets were taken by pacer Mohammad Ismail.

Warriors then took their time consolidating as Burhan Niaz and Haseeb Khan failed to get the scoreboard moving. Burhan struck in the tenth and eleventh overs of the innings. The Belgian international smashed four sixes in the span of six balls, igniting his team’s victory chances. The right-hander, however, was knocked lbw by Aftab Ahmed for 47 off 42 balls, ending his blitz (two fours, four sixes).

Aftab then dismissed Haseeb in the 12th over of the innings, giving the Sharks complete control.

As the asking price continued to rise, the Warriors’ middle and lower order capitulated. Saad Masood bowled a remarkable session to eliminate captain Abbas Ali, Daud Nazar, Mohammad Irfan, Archie Lenham, and Abidullah in fast succession, registering the first five-fer in PJL history.

Sharks skipper Shamyl Hussain got his team off to a fast start with an 83-run opening wicket stand (8.3 overs) with Luc Martin Benkenstein. The two hit some stunning strokes to put pressure on the Warriors bowling attack, which appeared off colour in the early portions of the critical match. Shamyl was the first to go, caught at long-on while attempting a big shot off leg-spinner Lenham.

Shamyl’s 32 off 23 balls included four fours and a six. Lenham dislodged Danial Ibrahim with his first delivery, and the right-hander was caught plumb in front of the stumps. Sharks were 113 for three (11 overs) when wicketkeeper Mohammad Zulkifal added 30 for the third wicket with Benkenstein before being run out due to a mix-up.

Benkenstein’s 74-run knock featured some stunning strokes. Before his tragic run out in the 16th over, the English batting prodigy seemed destined to achieve three figures. In his magnificent innings, Benkenstein faced 46 balls and hit 10 fours and two sixes.

Arafat Minhas contributed a helpful 30 off 26 (four fours, one six) as the Sharks closed with a 177 for nine total. Irfan, the Warriors’ left-arm spinner, was the standout performer, taking three wickets for 29 runs in four overs.

Also Read

Pakistan Junior League 2022 Standings, Points table, Ranking

Points table for the Pakistan Premier League 2022, which started from October 6,...