A superb performance from President XI in all three departments, one that shows them as clearly worthy of a spot in not only the second Qualifier but also the final. They put up an above-par total and defended it with composure and professionalism and a lot of wholesome teamwork.
Mitry fought hard. They had the batting quality and the depth to give PXI a run for their money but losing both openers early was a big blow to their fortunes. Even though the middle-order continued to attack with intent, the middle-overs spells from Stanikzay and Ahmadzai's spin for four overs broke the back of their chase.
The duo picked up five wickets among them and Mitry slipped to a point of no return. Umar's cameo gave a bit of respectability to the total but couldn't take them close to the points.
10
overs
107/9score
6
6
0
0
0
0
runs
Shahzad Umar*
20(10)
Farhat Azeem
0(2)
Zaheer Zahiri
0/23
9.6 Zaheer Zahiri to Shahzad Umar, whips away the fuller one around middle towards deep midwicket. President XI wins the eliminator..
9.5 Zaheer Zahiri to Shahzad Umar, that has been dropped, first blemish in the field. Gets a top edge and that has been dropped.
9.4 Zaheer Zahiri to Shahzad Umar, bunts this length delivery a shade outside off towards mid-off.
9.3 Zaheer Zahiri to Shahzad Umar, pushes this fuller one outside off towards the cover fielder.
9.2 Zaheer Zahiri to Shahzad Umar, SIX! Deposits that length delivery around middle well over the deep midwicket fence.
9.1 Zaheer Zahiri to Shahzad Umar, SIX! On a length around middle, swings it away just over the deep square leg fence.
9
overs
95/9score
1
1
6
W
0
0
runs
Farhat Azeem*
0(2)
Shahzad Umar
8(4)
Hossain ikbal
2/26
8.6 Ikbal Hossain to Farhat Azeem, squeezes away the low full toss around the middle stump down towards the deep midwicket region for a single.
8.5 Ikbal Hossain to Farhat Azeem, back of a length delivery around middle, pushed away towards the mid-on fielder.
Farhat Azeem, RHB, comes out
8.4 Ikbal Hossain to Shahzad Umar, WICKET! Umar has been cleaned up here. On a good-length angling back into the right-hander, he loses his shape while swinging across the line and ends up losing his leg stump.
8.3 Ikbal Hossain to Shahzad Umar, SIX! Umar comes down the track and swings away the good-length delivery from his presence and comfortably clears the long on fence this time.
8.2 Ikbal Hossain to Shahzad Umar, absolutely sensational from Rahmatullah Mangal, on a length around middle and Umar felt he had got enough on that but the fielder in the boundary does a brilliant job to parry that back in play.
8.1 Ikbal Hossain to Muhammed Shafique, a well directed short delivery which has been pulled away towards fine leg for a single.
Ikbal Hussain [1-0-18-0] comes back
Just two overs to go. Mitry have shown they have both the quality and the depth to make even the toughest chases competitive. They'd just rue the lack of early effort from their top-order.
8
overs
87/8score
4b
6
0
6
1lb
6
runs
Shahzad Umar*
7(3)
Muhammad Shafique
20(8)
Ahmaddullah Malikzada
2/24
7.6 Ahmadullah Malikzada to Shahzad Umar, SIX! Shahzad Umar holds his shape and swings across the line, clobbers this flat and hard over the deep midwicket fence.