JEDDAH: Kashif Shafeeq and Amir Sajjad of Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA) blasted Southern Province Cricket Association (SPCA) bowlers all over the ground to win by 7 wickets and Yanbu Al-Sinaiyah Cricket Association (YACA) had the last laugh against Madina Cricket League (MCL) on the opening day of the T20 National Championship which is being organized by Saudi Cricket Center (SCC) at WPCA Eskan grounds here. The four affiliated associations – WPCA, YACA, SPCA and MVL – will play each other on a round robin basis and then the top two teams will qualify for the final. The Saudi Arabian national team will be selected on the basis of the performance of the participants here for the forthcoming ACC Challenge Cup to be played in Thailand on Dec. 3-12. SPCA, which won the toss and batted first, lost wickets at regular intervals. Only Nasir Saleem provided some resistance with 37 while Samir began well but was dismissed by teenage sensation Faheem Afrad for 30 which came off 15 balls. After that, it was WPCA bowlers who dominated. Faheem Afrad grabbed 3-15, Hussain Bhatti claimed 3-17, Zaheer got 2 while Kashif and Shoaib took one each to bundle out SPCA for 127 in 18.4 overs. WPCA, in response, lost the hard hitter Shafeeq on the first ball of the innings but Kashif Shafiq exploded with 4 huge sixes and 5 fours for 54 in 23 balls. Amir Sajjad maintained the tempo with 51 in 24 balls (2 sixes and 7 fours), to produce 106 runs for the second wicket. Once both the batsmen got out, Abdullah Essa and Shahbaz achieved the winning target (131-3) in just 10.1 overs. Sadiq and Saleem took a wicket each for SPCA. Kashif Shafeeq was adjudged the Man of the Match. Arshad Mughal and Murrali Dasan officiated the match while Qamar Shah was the match referee. In the other match, YACA after being put into bat by MCL, piled up 175-6. Afzal hit 50 (34 balls, 6 fours and one six). Shabbir contributed a quick 36 while Iftikhar scored 18. Kamran remained unbeaten on 34. For MCL, Khalid took 3-24 while Mohammed Ajmal, Sajid and Asif got one wicket each. In reply, MCL was all out for 160 in 19.3 overs. Sajid scored 36 and Sadiq made 32. Omar and Ramzan added 23 and 22 respectively. In a last-ditch effort, Ajmal hit 14 runs in 5 balls to raise MCL hopes but a fine catch by Kamran ended the fireworks. Kamran grabbed 3-40 and Liaqat got 2 while Abdullah, Naseem and Abbas claimed one wicket each. Kamran of YACA was adjudged the Man of the Match. Waseeq Sherwani and Azfaar officiated the match.
