RAWALPINDI: Tail ender Mohammad Ilyas smashed a powerful 41 off 17 while Sharoon Siraj scored a crucial fifty before all-rounder Agha Salman impressed with the ball to aid Southern Punjab beat Balochistan by 21 runs in National T20 Cup.

Opting to bat first, Southern Punjab managed 156/6 in the 20 overs amid a dismal show by the top-order. After an opening stand of 37 runs, the team jittered in the middle as they lost five wickets in quick succession for the addition of mere 15 runs.

Sharoon and Ilyas, however, combined excellently for a phenomenal 76-run partnership on the seventh wicket to pull the team out of disaster after they were reduced to 80/6 in the 14th over.

Ilyas’ powerful knock included four sixes and two fours while Sharoon played a cautious knock of 57 off 49, laced with six boundaries and two sixes.

Yasir Shah, on the other hand, bowled superbly for Balochistan as he bagged three wickets  Akif Jawed took two wickets while Amad Butt also made a scalp.

Set to chase a respectable target of 157 runs, Balochistan went for a flourishing start as openers Asad Shafiq and Haseebullah Khan built a strong partnership of 57 runs before the latter was dismissed by Agha Salman in the 9th over. The team then lost the track of their chase and eventually fell short of the target as they were reduced to 135/8 in the 20 overs.

Shafiq remained the top scorer for the side with his brilliant knock of 43 off 25 while Hussin Talat scored 30 off 25.

For Southern Punjab, Agha Salman sent three batters to the pavilion while Sameen Gul bagged two wickets. Mohammad Imran, Faisal Akram and Ali Majid took wicket apiece.

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