Doha: Maaz Sadaqat carried on his blazing all-round form with a half-century and two wickets to help Pakistan Shaheens bag a thumping eight-wicket victory over India A in their second Group B fixture of the Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha on Sunday night.
Shaheen overhauled the 137-run target with 40 balls to spare and eight wickets in hand as the left-handed opening batter Maaz picked up his successive player of the match award on the back of yet another half-century (79 not out) and miserly bowling figures of 2-12 in three overs including a wicket-maiden.
Following on from his 54-ball 96 not out against Oman on Friday, Maaz struck seven fours and four sixes in the chase against India A keeping the bowlers on their toes. The Peshawar born 20-year-old also put on 55 runs with Mohammad Naeem (14, 10b, 1×4, 1×6) as the duo provided Shaheens a blazing start in the Powerplay.
Maaz took the sting out of India’s defence of the 136-run total with a 20-run seventh-over, where he hit Naman Dhir for two sixes completing his fifth T20 fifty off 31 balls as the required rate dropped below five.
From that juncture onwards, Pakistan Shaheens took 38 more balls to score the remaining 60 runs losing only no.3 batter Yasir Khan in the process.
Mohammad Faiq (16 not out, 14b, 1×4, 1×6), who also formed an unbeaten 41-run stand with Maaz, finished the game with a six as Shaheens made it two wins out of two in the tournament with their last group fixture against UAE scheduled for Tuesday.
