Muzaffarabad: Another bright and sunny day for the twelfth game of the Kingdom Valley Kashmir Premier League (KPL), season two, where the crowd witnessed a nerve wracking game, between Rawlakot Hawks and Mirpur Royals, where after many tricky turns, Royals had the last laugh.
Shoaib Malik, the Mirpur Royals skipper, after winning the coin-toss, asked Rawlakot Hawks to bat and immediately introduced spin with Abrar Ahmed, the mystery right-armer, sent the Hawks’ opener, Bismillah Khan back to the pavilion with zero on the scoreboard. Immad Wasim, from the other end, was even better who picked up three wickets in no time, conceding 27 runs in his four overs.
Hawks’ Rohail Nazeer held one end and valiantly stroked big shots to reach his fifty. Nazeer got out after making 59-ball 68, including six fours and two maximum.
Onslaught in the death overs by Musaddiq Ahmed (24 off 17) aided Rawlakot to reach a respectable total of 156/7. Ammad Butt (22 off 17) played a good hand too.
In reply, Mirpur Royals, too, fell in trouble after losing two early wickets of Muhammad Hamza Irshad and Ali Imran, both scored just a one run each. Hasan Nawaz exhibited some resistance however got perished after 24 off 18. They had 63/3, on the scoreboard, at the culmination of ten overs of their innings.
Captain Shoaib Malik’s dismissal in the 12th over, on 33 (19), sent ripples through the Royals’ dugout.
Razaullah Mustafa and Immad Wasim held the innings together for a while but Razallah’s departure (12 runs) made things a little difficult for Royals however Immad Wasim had another idea.
Royals needed 36 runs in 18 balls while Immad Wasim hit a couple of boundaries and later won the show, by three wickets, with five balls to spare.
Faisal Akram bagged three, while Zaman Khan and Asif Afridi got two scalps each.
Immad Wasim was named player of the match for his unbeaten 26 off 17 and three wickets.
On the points table Mirpur Royals jumped to the second spot with four points. Rawlakot Hawks are leading the chart with five points
