In the final showdown of the Top End T20 Series on a Sunday in Darwin, the Pakistan Shaheens faced a tough challenge against the Northern Territory Strike. With a target of 186 runs to chase, the Shaheens struggled and were restricted to 139-7 in their allotted 20 overs, resulting in a 46-run victory for the NT Strike.
The match saw an outstanding performance from Jack Wood of the NT Strike, who scored a sensational century with 101 runs off just 59 balls. His innings, comprising of eight fours and five sixes, helped the NT Strike set a formidable total of 185-4 while batting first.
Unfortunately for the Shaheens, their chase never quite took off as they lost wickets at regular intervals, leaving them with a slim chance of victory. Arafat Minhas was the highest scorer for the team with 41 runs, while Irfan Khan and Shamyl Hussain contributed 24 and 23 runs, respectively.
Credit must be given to Brodie Symons of the NT Strike, who put up an impressive show with figures of 3-16 in his three overs.
Earlier in the tournament, the Shaheens secured a spot in the final with an eight-wicket victory over Papua New Guinea at the DXC Arena. Shahwaiz Irfan’s consecutive half-century and Ali Asfand’s four-wicket haul played crucial roles in that triumph.
Throughout the series, the Pakistan Shaheens registered four wins and faced two losses, showcasing a competitive performance.
Looking ahead, the Shaheens are scheduled to play two 50-over matches against PNG and NT Strike on August 8 and 9, respectively.
The Pakistan Shaheens squad includes Rohail Nazir as the captain, along with players like Aaliyan Mahmood, Ali Asfand, Amir Hassan, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Basit Ali, Faisal Akram, Mohammad Imran Sajjad Ali, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Shawaiz Irfan, Syed Zeeshan Zameer, and Wahaj Riaz.
In support of the team, the player support personnel consists of Muhammad Masroor as the head coach-cum-manager, Hanif Malik as the batting and fielding coach, Umar Rashid as the bowling coach, and Imtiaz Khan as the physiotherapist.
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