Saudi Arabia's cricket team under the aegis Saudi Cricket Center visited Doha recently to play two T20 matches and a one-day match against Qatar. Saudi team won a T20 match and the 50-over match, while Qatar won the other T20 match. [caption id="attachment_34049" align="alignleft" width="300"] Mazhar Abbasi (C) receiving the Man-of-the-Match award from Nadeem Nadwi (R) and Manzoor.[/caption] Nadeem Babar, who was representing Saudi Arabia for the last time, led Saudi one-day team. Shoaib Ali captained the T20 squad. Apart from Nadeem and Shoaib, the team comprised: Hammad Saeed, Mohammed Afzal Saleem, Nadeem Javed, Inayat Saeed, Abrarulhaq, Abdulwaheed, Kashif Riya, Aaafaq Ahmed, Mohsen Rajput, Imran Azam, Aijaz Sagheer and Mazhar Abbasi. In the first T20 match, Saudi Arabia defeated Qatar by 9 wickets. Qatar, opting to bat first, posted 128 for 8 in 20 overs with Kamran making 12, Inamullah 15, Rizwan 15, Khurram Shahzad 27 and Imran 23 not out. Mazhar grabbed 2-13, Nadeem Javed 2-21, Aijaz Sagheer 2-24, while Abrarulhaq and Afzal Saleem took a wicket each. Saudi Arabia started its chase in style. Abdulwaheed (53 in 46 balls) and Hammad Saeed (64 in 44 balls) dominated the Qatari bowlers to get to the target of 129 for 1 in 92 balls. Owais took the lone wicket to fall. Hammad Saeed bagged the Man of the Match honors. In the 50-over match, Saudi Arabia thrashed Qatar by 53 runs. Put into bat, Saudi Arabia racked up 331 for 6. Nadeem Babar, playing his last international match for Saudi Arabia, scored 29 in 53 balls. Abdulwaheed contributed 22, Hammad Saeed 10 and Afzal Saleem 48. The batsman on fire was Mazhar Abbasi, who whacked 4 boundaries and 8 sixes to compile 122 in 92 balls. His partner Abrarulhaq smashed 74 off 40 balls. Noman Sarwar and Iqbal Choudhry claimed 2 wickets each. Qatar, requiring 6.64 runs per over to win, was bowled out for 277. Kamran made 24, Rizwan Abrar 48, Inamulhaq 47, Khurram Shahzad 50 and Noman Sarwar 17. Nadeem Javed was the pick of the Saudi bowlers with 4 for 62, Shoaib Ali bagged 2-48, Afzal Saleem 2-35, while Abrarulhaq and Mazhar Abbasi claimed a wicket each. Mazhar Abbasi was adjudged the Player of the Match. Qatar humbled Saudi Arabia in the second T20 by 5 wickets. Saudi Arabia, asked to bat first, scored 154 for 9. Kashif Riyaz hit 16, Inayatullah Saeed 13, Hammad Saeed 17 and Afaque 66 (5 fours and 4 sixes). Noman was the wrecker-in-chief with 4 for 32 and Imran picked up 3 for 38. Qatar was home in the 19th over with 5 wickets in hand. Kamran notched 22, Inamulhaq 15, Rizwan 21, A. Waiaz 32, Iqbal Chaudhry 16 and Khurram Shahzad 36. Mazhar Abbasi took 2-20 and Afzal Saleem 2-36. Noman received the Player-of-the-Match award. — SG
