Badshahs hand Knights fourth loss
Half-centuries by Shahid Yousuf, Umar Akmal and Umar Siddiq helped Punjab Badshahs hand Sindh Knights their fourth straight loss
ESPNcricinfo staff
09-Jan-2015
Umar Siddiq steered the chase with an unbeaten 62 • PCB
Half-centuries by Shahid Yousuf, Umar Akmal and Umar Siddiq helped Punjab Badshahs comfortably overhaul Sindh Knights' total in Karachi and hand the home team its fourth loss of the tournament. Chasing 253, Badshahs lost their openers in the first eight overs but a rapid 80-run stand between Yousuf and Akmal that lasted 11.1 oves kept the chase ahead of the required rate. Akmal smashed 10 boundaries in his 36-ball 53 before being dismissed by Mir Hamza.
Yousuf top-scored with 66 and continued to build the innings with Siddiq, adding 75 runs for the fourth wicket. After Yousuf's departure, Siddiq took over the mantle of scoring and was unbeaten on 62 when Badshahs reached the target in the 41st over.
Knights had a wobbly start to their innings as they lost their first four wickets for 79 runs in 18.4 overs. An 83-run stand between Khurram Manzoor and Anwar Ali revived the innings. While Manzoor scored a sedate 55 off 96 deliveries, Ali was more aggressive. He smashed four sixes and three fours during his 83-ball 89, which was instrumental in lifting knights to 252. Imad Wasim was the most successful bowler with three wickets.