LAHORE - Peshawar and Karachi Whites will face off in the final of the Pakistan Cup 2023- 24, to be played on November 19 at Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi at 0900 PKT.
The game will be broadcast on PTV Network and live-streamed on ARY ZAP for Pakistan audiences while it will be streamed on PCB’s YouTube channel in overseas territories. Ahead of the semifinals, Peshawar reigned supreme at the standings table with 11 points while Karachi Whites and Multan, both with 9 points each, were second and third respectively owing to difference in NRR. FATA with 8 points was the fourth team on the table.
Sahibzada Farhan-led Peshawar secured a berth in the final after they defeated FATA by 44 runs in the first semi-final, on the back of half-centuries by the skipper and Adil Amin. The latter is also the leading run-scorer for the team, getting 279 in seven innings, including four fifties. Abbas Afridi, 23-year-old pacer, has bagged 12 wickets in six matches and is the most successful bowler for his side.
Karachi Whites defeated Multan by 43 runs (DLS) in the second semi-final to join Peshawar in the final. Saim Ayub, the 21-year-old left-handed opening batter, has scored the most runs in the tournament. He has amassed 386 runs in seven innings, including a century and a half-century. His fellow left-handed opener Shan Masood, with 372 from seven innings, is just behind Saim. The 34-year-old also has a century and a half-century. Experienced pacer Sohail Khan is Karachi Whites’ highest wicket-taker with 10 wickets in six matches. He bowled a triple wicket maiden at a crucial juncture during Karachi Whites’ semi-final victory over Multan. Left-arm spinner Danish Aziz is squarely behind, accounting for nine in seven matches.
Sarfaraz Ahmed, captain of Karachi Whites, while speaking to PCB Digital said: “Our team has played some good cricket in the tournament. All the boys have fulfilled their roles. I am really hopeful that we will continue that and perform well in the final. “Peshawar is a really good team and are a balanced side. The two top teams of the Pakistan Cup are competing in the final so I think the competition will be fierce and people will get to watch some good cricket. May the best team win.” Peshawar captain Sahibzada Farhan said: “We had two days of rest before the final so the boys have been training well and we have had a practice session too so we are well-prepared. We have a lot of young boys in the team and now that senior players like Iftikhar Ahmed have joined, our team is well-balanced. “We trust our boys and back ourselves to do well in the final. Both the teams playing the final are good teams, whoever does better on the day will win.”
