PESHAWAR
Salma Aziz quick-fire 28 runs guided Peshawar South to record two wickets victory against Peshawar North in the final of the PCB Women Twenty20 Cricket League played here at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University Cricket Ground here on Thursday.
Pakistan Cricket Board and Directorate of Youth Affairs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa organized the first T20 Women’s Cricket Championship 2022 with Peshawar South recorded a dramatic two wickets victory in the last overs when Salma Aziz struck an elegant knock of 28 runs of 12 balls with five boundaries and one six.
Salma Aziz who got the best batswomen award for scoring the most runs besides taking woman of the final award while Peshawar’s North bowler Mahnoor was declared as best bowler of the League by taking nine wickets.
Peshawar North skipper Salma Faiz won the toss and elected to bat first by setting up a meager runs target of 75 runs after playing 16.5 overs all out with Salma Faiz was the high runs contributor with 28 runs off 25 balls including four boundaries and one six.
Salma Faiz played a captain knock with superb batting by hitting all the rival bowlers toward the rope. Momina scored 16 runs, Mahnoor scored 9 runs with two boundaries and Sukina scored 12 runs. None of the other Peshawar North players could cross the double figures. For Peshawar South Mahnoor claimed two wickets for four runs only in her four overs spell, Tehzeeb claimed two wickets for 7 runs in his three overs spell, Aleena played a superb role taking both the openers wickets in her first and second overs, keeping the batting line up of the rival under tremendous pressure. Zaibunisa, Madeeha and Momina took one wicket each.
In reply to 76 runs winning target skipper Aleena was out on a very first ball, followed by another wicket down for no runs total and the third wicket of the Peshawar South was down on12 runs only. After taking the charge Salma Aziz and Sumbal played well and with one and two raced up to the target. Sumbal scored 14 runs off 15 balls with two boundaries, followed by Kalsoom with her elegant batting smashed two boundaries on consecutive balls while Salma Aziz hit a towering six to steer the team to two wickets victory in the 19.4 overs.
Thus Peshawar South chased the target for the loss of eight wickets. For Peshawar North Momina took three wickets for 12 runs only in her four overs spell and played a key role overall in her team line up during the league matches. Mahnoor and Neelam took two wickets each for 29 and 14 runs respectively in their four overs spell each while Kainat took one wicket. Jamshed Iqbal and Muhammmad Fayyaz supervised the match while Nadeem Akhtar acted as official scorer.
Miss Kiran Afzal, World Bank Specialist on Private Sector, was the chief guest on this occasion who witnessed the final. Pir Abdullah Shah, Director Sports Integrated Districts CEO PCB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Babar Khan, Project Director Kite (World Bank) Tuseef Khalid, Assistant Director Sports of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University Rozina Riaz, PCB Coaches Rehmat Gul and Hajra Sarwar were also present.
Speaking on this occasion, Miss Kiran Afzal lauded the efforts of the PCB for holding the Twenty20 Cricket League for Women of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and expressed the hope that more women would be involved in other sports as well. She said women’s role in the overall progress of the country is vital, that is why giving due opportunities would bring a positive change in the overall development of Pakistan.
He said healthy sports activities of the women would also bring a positive change to the society. At the end, Miss Kiran Afzal gave away trophies and cash prizes to the winners and runners-up teams. Four teams, Peshawar South, Peshawar North, Mardan and Charsadda took part in the League.
