Northern beat Khyber Pakhtunkwa by 11 runs

A splendid team effort from Northern's bowlers saw them edge out Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 11 runs. In what was a clash of the top two, the bowlers from both sides dominated proceedings, a significant departure from the trend over the course of this tournament. Northern won the toss and batted, only for KP's bowlers to get on top from the outset, Northern never quite able to free the shackles. Wahab Riaz ripped through the innings, taking five wickets for 21 in his four overs, while there were also wickets for Iftikhar Ahmed and Asif Afridi, who combined to concede just 26 in six overs. Only a late, and retrospectively priceless, cameo from Imad Wasim, who top-scored with 36, got Northern up to 144.

It might have been a tall order to defend but what followed from Northern's bowlers was a masterclass in execution. Each was meticulously disciplined, all five bowlers conceding between 24 and 29 in their quota. Haris Rauf was, as has been the case this tournament, amongst the wickets, taking 3 for 28, but it was the asphyxiating pressure that saw KP's opportunities slip away. Mohammad Haris batted through the innings and faced 70 balls, but could score no more than 79; no other batsman managed more than 11. It was an illustration of the intensity Northern bring to every game, even ostensible dead rubbers, and showcased why the defending champions are favourites to double up this year.