ISLAMABAD: At least 14 people were killed and several others wounded in incidents related to heavy rains in Pakistan’s Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces in the last 24 hours, provincial authorities and local media reported on Saturday.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) earlier this week predicted heavy rains and snowfall across the South Asian country.
A strong westerly wave entered Pakistan’s western and upper parts earlier this week, producing rain and snowfall. It was forecast to grip the areas until Sunday.
Over a dozen people, including children, were killed as torrential rains damaged multiple houses in Punjab’s Gujranwala and Kasur, and Upper Dir, Peshawar, Charsadda and other parts of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Six people were killed and 13 others wounded in different [rain-related] incidents,” the KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said in a statement.
“The downpours partially damaged eight houses in the province,” it said, adding that relief goods were distributed among the affected people in Charsadda and Upper Dir.
In Punjab’s Gujranwala district, two children were killed and their father and another child injured after the roof of their house collapsed due to rain, the Express Tribune reported.
In Kasur district, six people were killed and 10 others wounded in similar incidents.
Late Friday, the South Asian nation met with a calamity as 22 stranded tourists froze to death in their vehicles during a snowstorm in Murree, 64 km (40 miles) northeast of the capital Islamabad.
Rescue efforts to get people and vehicles out of the resort town were still ongoing on Saturday evening.
14 killed as rains wreak havoc in Pakistan’s Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces
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14 killed as rains wreak havoc in Pakistan’s Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces
- Roofs of multiple houses collapsed in Gujranwala, Kasur, Upper Dir, Peshawar and Charsadda
- Late Friday, Pakistan met with a calamity as 22 tourists froze to death during a snowstorm in Murree
Pakistan spin out Australia in second T20I to take series
- Salman Agha’s 76 and Usman Khan’s 53 lift Pakistan to 198-5, their highest T20I total against Australia
- Pakistan’s spinners take all 10 wickets as Australia are bowled out for 108, sealing an unbeatable 2-0 series lead
LAHORE: Skipper Salman Agha hit his highest score in the shortest format before Pakistan’s spinners routed Australia by 90 runs in the second Twenty20 international in Lahore on Saturday.
Agha hit a 40-ball 76 and Usman Khan smashed a 36-ball 53 as Pakistan made 198-5, their highest-ever T20I total against Australia.
This was enough for Pakistan’s spin quintet who shared all ten wickets between them with Abrar Ahmed returning the best figures of 3-14 and Shadab Khan finishing with 3-26.
Australia were routed for 108 in 15.4 overs, giving Pakistan their biggest T20I victory over Australia eclipsing the 66-run win in Abu Dhabi in 2018.
“It has to be a perfect game,” said Agha. “We batted well and then were outstanding with the ball. Fielding was outstanding.”
The victory gives Pakistan an unbeatable 2-0 lead after they won the first match by 22 runs, also in Lahore, on Friday.
“We want to play in the same way, forget the 2-0 scoreline and come again with the same intensity and go to the World Cup with the same energy,” said Agha of the event starting in India and Sri Lanka from February 7.
This is Pakistan’s first T20I series win over Australia since 2018. The final match is on Sunday, also in Lahore.
Despite skipper Mitchell Marsh coming back after resting on Friday, the visiting batters had little answer to Pakistan’s spin assault.
Ahmed dismissed Marsh for 18, Josh Inglis for five and Matthew Short for 27.
Cameroon Green top scored with a 20-ball 35 before spinner Usman Tariq dismissed him on his way to figures of 2-16.
Marsh admitted Pakistan were better.
“Pakistan outplayed us,” said Marsh. “Hopefully, we can improve and come back tomorrow. They put us under great pressure in batting; it was probably a 160-170 wicket so they scored a big total.”
Earlier, Agha and Usman led Pakistan to a fighting total after they won the toss and batted.
Agha built the innings with Saim Ayub (11-ball 23) during a second wicket stand of 55 as Pakistan scored 72 runs in the power-paly.
Agha’s previous highest in all T20 cricket was 68 not out.
After Babar Azam failed with a five-ball two, Usman helped Agha add another quickfire 49 for the fourth wicket before Sean Abbott broke the stand.
Agha smashed four sixes and eight fours in his sixth Twenty20 half century.
Pakistan added a good 61 runs in the last five overs with Usman knocking two sixes and four fours in his second T20I half century while Shadab’s knock had two sixes and a four.
The Usman-Shadab fifth-wicket stand yielded 63 runs off just 39 balls.
Shadab finished with an unbeaten 20-ball 28.
Pacer Xavier Bartlett and spinner Matthew Kuhnemann were expensive, conceding 92 runs between them in their eight overs.
