Pakistan Shaheens Secure Second Spot in Top End T20 Series

DARWIN: The Pakistan Shaheens have announced their finalized lineup for the second semi-final match of the Top End T20 Series. They are scheduled to compete against the Perth Scorchers Academy at Gardens Oval on Sunday.

After winning the coin toss and choosing to field, the Shaheens have made a couple of adjustments to their team. Khawaja Nafay and Saad Masood will be stepping in, taking the places of Mohammad Faiq and Mohammad Salman.

Under the leadership of Irfan Khan Niazi, the Shaheens concluded the league stage in the runner-up position. They achieved this with a record of four victories and two defeats across six games, facing losses against both the Scorchers and the Chicago Kingsmen.

In their recent match on Friday, the Shaheens clinched an exciting one-run triumph over Nepal. Spinner Faisal Akram exhibited composure in the final over, effectively defending eight runs and leading his team to a dramatic victory.

Nepal, in pursuit of 145, narrowly missed the mark, scoring 143/7, despite a valiant half-century from their captain, Rohit Paudel.

Akram’s economical bowling performance of 2/29, which included a wicket and only six runs conceded in the last over, proved to be the decisive factor. Earlier, Nepal seemed to be in control at 108/3 after 16 overs, with Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee well-established at the crease.

However, Paudel’s dismissal on the first ball of the 17th over caused a shift in momentum. Airee continued to battle until he was run out while attempting a second run on the final ball, leaving Nepal just three runs short of the target.

Paudel was the highest scorer with 52 runs off 44 balls, hitting six fours and one six, while Airee contributed a swift 41 runs from 21 deliveries. Besides Akram, Mohammad Wasim Jr claimed two wickets, and Mohammad Salman took one.

Earlier in the game, the Shaheens, after electing to bat, managed to score 144/9. Their batting innings began poorly, as they stumbled to 4/2 after Maaz Sadaqat (1) and Mohammad Faiq (2) were dismissed in Dipendra Singh Airee’s second over.

Yasir Khan (18) and Abdul Samad (26) made attempts to rebuild the innings; however, wickets kept falling, leaving the team struggling at 60/6.

Subsequently, captain Irfan Khan stabilized the innings with a resilient unbeaten 42 runs from 26 balls, which included three boundaries and one six. He formed a significant 40-run partnership with Mohammad Wasim Jr, who contributed 23 runs off 22 balls.

Pakistan Shaheens’ confirmed XI against Perth Scorchers: Abdul Samad, Faisal Akram, Ghazi Ghori, Irfan Khan Niazi (C), Khawaja Nafay (WK), Maaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz, Mubassir Khan, Muhammad Waseem Jnr, Saad Masood, Yasir Khan