Northern and Central Punjab players in action during their Pakistan CupOne-day Tournament match at State Bank Stadium on Sunday. KARACHI: Opener Taimoor Sultan’s century helped Northern record a comprehensive 154-run win over Central Punjab in a broadcast fixture at the State Bank Stadium on Sunday. In the other Pakistan Cup One-day Tournament 2020-21 matches, Sindh overcame Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 63 runs thanks to an all-round contribution from Anwar Ali at the NBP Sports Complex, while Imran Farhat’s 96 earned Balochistan a thrilling one-wicket win over Southern Punjab at UBL Sports Complex. 1: Northern v Central Punjab, State Bank Stadium, Karachi: Central Punjab captain Saad Nasim won the toss and asked Northern to bat first. Northern openers – centurion Taimoor Sultan and Ali Imran – provided their team a flying start by adding 165 runs for the first-wicket. Right-handed Taimoor played a series of attacking shots in his 94-ball 102-run innings that included 11 fours and three sixes. Central Punjab clawed back in the game as fast bowler Ahmed Bashir took three wickets in the 26th over, sending back Ali Imran (56 off 59 balls, five fours, one six), Taimoor and Mohammad Nawaz (0 off 1). Asif Ali and Hammad Azam first consolidated before upping the scoring-rate. Hammad contributed 45 off 30 balls. Asif accelerated the scoring-rate as he hit seven fours and five sixes in his 76 off 41 balls before falling to spinner Ahmed Safi Abdullah. Wicketkeeper-batsman Jamal Anwer then provided the final touches to Northern’s imposing batting effort with an unbeaten 36 off 22 balls. Despite some late hiccups, Northern amassed a mammoth 382 for the loss of eight wickets. Ahmed Bashir finished with figures of four for 86 in his 10 overs. Central Punjab’s chase never got going as they kept losing wickets in the pursuit of quick runs. Wicketkeeper-batsman Muhammad Akhlaq and captain Saad Nasim followed up their centuries – in last match against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – with half-centuries in another losing cause. 2: Balochistan v Southern Punjab, UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: Southern Punjab were bowled out for 244 runs in 46.2 overs after Imran Farhat, the Balochistan captain, elected to field after winning the toss. Balochistan bowlers took the first five Southern Punjab wickets for a mere 91 runs. Mukhtar Ahmed, batting at number three, scored 45 off 43 balls with the help of eight fours and a six, while opener Zain Abbas contributed 30 runs. Southern Punjab were rescued by Aamer Yamin who top-scored with 73 off 81 balls. The all-rounder hit six fours and two sixes in his innings. Balochistan bowlers delivered a disciplined and probing bowling performance with Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Taj Wali, Kashif Bhatti and Gohar Faiz taking two wickets each. Balochistan were reduced to 82 for five at one stage of their chase. Captain Imran Farhat led from the front and held the innings together as he added 59 runs for the sixth-wicket with Kashif Bhatti, who contributed 33. Imran, later adjudged the player-of-the-match, then added 64 for the seventh-wicket with pacer Umaid Asif (3o off 29 balls, two fours, two sixes). Balochistan lost their ninth-wicket at 230 and were helped over the line by the last wicket pair of Taj Wali (14 not out) and Raza-ul-Hasan (11 not out) who added 17 runs as the victory was achieved with five balls spare. Leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood took four wickets, while Umer Khan and Muhammad Ilyas took two wickets apiece. 3: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Sindh, NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: Asif Afridi’s five-wicket haul was instrumental in dismissing Sindh for 256 runs after they were put into bat by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa captain Khalid Usman. Sindh lost their first five wickets for 84 runs with only Asad Shafiq (42 off 63 balls) providing some resistance along with wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan, who made 37 off 36 balls (two fours, one six). Sindh were rescued by a 78-run stand for the sixth-wicket between all-rounders Hassan Khan and Anwar Ali. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were bowled out for 193 runs in reply to handover a comfortable 63 runs win to Sindh. Scores in brief: 1: Northern beat Central Punjab by 154 runs at State Bank Stadium Northern 382-8, 50 overs (Taimoor Sultan 102, Asif Ali 76, Ali Imran 56, Hammad Azam 45, Jamal Anwar 36 not out, Umar Amin 22; Ahmed Bashir 4-86) VS Central Punjab 228 all out, 37.1 overs (Muhammad Akhlaq 55, Saad Nasim 53, Tayyab Tahir 47, Rizwan Hussain 29; Hammad Azam 4-42, Salman Irshad 2-31, Sohail Tanvir 2-39, Athar Mehmood 2-44) Player-of-the-Match: Taimoor Sultan (Northern) 2: Balochistan beat Southern Punjab by one wicket at UBL Sports Complex Southern Punjab 244 all out, 46.2 overs (Aamer Yamin 73, Mukhtar Ahmed 45, Zain Abbas 30; Abdul Wahid Bangalzai 2-22, Taj Wali 2-37, Kashif Bhatti 2-42, Gohair Faiz 2-45) VS Balochistan 247-9, 49.1 overs (Imran Farhat 96, Bismillah Khan 48, Kashif Bhatti 33, Umaid Asif 30; Zahid Mehmood 4-46, Muhammad Ilyas 2-38, Umar Khan 2-50) Player-of-the-Match: Imran Farhat (Balochistan) 3: Sindh beat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 63 runs at NBP Sports Complex Sindh 256 all out, 50 overs (Hassan Khan 66, Anwar Ali 65, Asad Shafiq 42, Azam Khan 37; Asif Afridi 5-31) VS Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 193 all out, 42.2 overs (Sajid Khan 52, Kamran Ghulam 38, Sahibzada Farhan 24; Mohammad Umar 3-21, Mohammad Asghar 2-33, Anwar Ali 2-38) Player-of-the-Match: Anwar Ali (Sindh).