Bahawalpur Royals eased past Gwadar Sharks by 85 runs in the final to win the inaugural edition of the Pakistan Junior League at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Put into bat by the Sharks, who got the better of them in their previous meeting, the Royals wasted little time in making their intentions clear. Basit Ali, who helped his side reach the final, and his opening partner Shawaiz Irfan (79 runs) took just 46 balls to score 95-runs for the first wicket.
Basit, with his 35 runs finished the tournament as the top-scorer with 379 runs with one century and two half-centuries. He was later adjudged best batter and player of the tournament.
Momin Qamar managed to send both the openers back into the pavilion but Mohammad Tayyab Arif (56 runs) and Afghanistan’s Nangeyalia Kharote (47 runs) added more misery for the Royals by adding 87 runs for the third wicket in 53 balls.
Their blitz helped the Bahawalpur Royals post the highest total of the Pakistan Junior League at 225/3.
Gwadar was not going to give up so easily and managed to reach 103 for four in the first half of the innings largely due to captain Shamyl Hussain’s innings of a 34-ball 67.
His wicket at the hands of Mohammad Zeeshan triggered a collapse which the chasing side never recovered from as they were all-out for 140 in 15.1 overs.
Nangeyalia followed up his 47 not out with three for 32 while bowling and he was well supported by Mohammad Zeeshan (3 for 28) and Sajjad Ali (2 for 15).
