Aitizaz Habib’s five sixes in an over hoists The Vision Shipping to an exciting victory

 By K.R. Nayar

Aitizaz Habib’s 70 runs off 32 balls studded with seven sixes and two boundaries ensured The Vision Shipping an exciting 29-runs win over Karwan Strikers in the 24th match of the CBFS powered by Fancode T20 tournament at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. It was a spectacular exhibition of power-hitting when in the 16th over Aitizaz hit five sixes off left-arm spinner Ahmed Shafiq to help The Vision Shipping post 183 for 6 in 20 overs. Chasing the score, Karwan Strikers could muster only 154 for 9 with Aitizaz sparkling with the ball too by taking two wickets to back Fayyaz Ahmed's three wickets spell.


The hard-hitting spectacle began when Aitizaz was batting on 24 off 19 balls. He hit the first ball from Shafiq over long off, then played the second delivery back to the bowler. The third and fourth deliveries went over long on for sixes while the fifth was pulled for a six over mid-wicket. The sixth delivery was hit over the covers for a six to also bring Aitizaz’s half century in 25 balls. Aitizaz hit 30 runs off that over and had he not played the second delivery defensively it could have been six-sixes in an over.

Speaking about his six-hitting spree, 25-year-old Aitizaz who was adjudged Man of the Match, said: “I have hit five sixes in an over even before in domestic matches. I am happy I am among the runs in the last couple of matches. I hope I continue to keep scoring and help my team keep winning. This special Man of the Match is dedicated to my family who have always supported me to keep playing cricket.”


Incidentally, the well-built Aitizaz hails from Mardan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan and played in the Domestic Circuit in Pakistan for teams like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Central Punjab and Abbottabad Region.  He had also played in England for Loughborough MCCU, a First-Class University Team. He was also part of the Lahore Qalandars Player Development Programme for two years and produced sterling performances.

The stage for the big hitting spree began after Karwan Strikers won the toss and elected to field. The consistent and hard-hitting Jawad Ghani who opened the innings for The Vision Shipping lasted only nine balls to score 10 runs caught by Ahmed Shafiq off Sabir Rao. Dilshan Munaweera and Ali Abid put on 46 runs for the second wicket before Ameer Hamza trapped Dilshan leg before for 29. His knock off 32 balls had two boundaries and a six.

Aitizaz Habib joined Ali Abid and took the score to 99 when Ali Abid got stumped by wicketkeeper Furqan Khalil off Ahmed Shafieq for 35. His knock off 27 balls had three boundaries and a six. Thereafter Aitizaz took charge and kept scoring at a brisk pace. Though he lost Junaid Shamsu for 7 caught behind off Tariq Mehmood, he picked the gaps very well and went for his mighty hits. He also got good support from Fayyaz Ahmed. Aitizaz and Fayyaz put on 58 runs for the fifth wicket. That took the score to 166 for 5 when Aitizaz was caught by Ali Khan off Tariq Mehmood for 70. Fayyaz continued to increase the total through an unbeaten 24 off 14 balls with two boundaries and a six to ensure a total of 183 for 6 in 20 overs.


Chasing this gettable target, Karwan lost their opener Waqas Ahmed to the fifth ball of the first over clean bowled by Sadaf Hussain for 4. Opener Aryan Lakra and Ameer Hamza took the score to 35 before Hamza got trapped leg before by Shahbaz Ali for 12. Ali Khan and Lakra added 37 more runs for the third wicket before Aitizaz struck a vital blow clean bowling Khan for 19. Aitizaz also had Lakra, who top scored with 36 runs, caught by Junaid Shamsu. Lakra’s knock of 36 off 28 balls had six boundaries.

Aryan Lakra top scores for Karwan Strikers 

After that there was an interesting dismissal. Karwan Strikers’s  Fayaz Ahmed got out to The Vision Shipping's Fayyaz Ahmed caught by Sajjad Malok for 14. With half the side back in the dug-out for 96 by 11.5 overs and still needing 88 more runs to win, Fayyaz Ahmed had wicketkeeper Furqan Khalil stumped by his counterpart Abdul Rehman Jr for 6.  So at a time when runs were needed, wickets began to fall. Muhammad Taimoor got trapped leg before to Malinda Pushpakumara for 12. Tariq Mehmood became Sadaf Hussain’s second victim for a fighting 27 runs off 17 balls with two sixes and a boundary. When Fayyaz Ahmed removed Akif Raja caught by Sajjad Malok as his third victim, Karwan Strikers got restricted to 154 for 9 in 20 overs.

Brief scores:
The Vision Shipping bt Karwan Strikers by 29 runs. The Vision Shipping 183 for 6 in 20 overs (Dilshan Munaweera 29, Ali Abid 35, Aitizaz Habib 70, Fayyaz Ahmed 24n.o, Sabir Rao 2 for 26, Tariq Mehmood 2 for 21) Karwan Strikers 154 for 9 in 20 overs (Aryan Lakra 36, Tariq Mehmood 27, Sadaf Hussain 2 for 12, Aitizaz Habib 2 for 26, Fayyaz Ahmed 3 for 21)

Man of the Match: Aitizaz Habib

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