KARACHI: All-rounder Nadeem Javed and Kashif Mahmood grabbed eight wickets between them as Karachi Port Trust (KPT) restricted Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to 151 all out in their first innings at the start of the Patron’s Trophy (Grade-II) semi-final on Saturday.

Nadeem, who bowls brisk medium-pacers, claimed five for 27 and Kashif three for 3-17 after SSGC skipper Asif Zakir, who top-scored with 52, opted to bat first at the Mirpur Cricket Stadium in Mirpur (Azad Jammu Kashmir).

But KPT also found the going extremely tough as they lost the first six wickets for only 57 runs before Mohammad Hasan (24) and Ahmed Iqbal (15) gave respectability in an unbroken partnership of 40.

Seamer Nasir Malik was SSGC’s main wicket-taker with three for 32 and fellow paceman Rajesh Ramesh took 2-29.

In the other semi-final, starting on Saturday at the LCCA Ground in Lahore, Capital Development Authority (CDA) were 56-1 in reply to Sayid Paper Mills’ 271 all out.

Babar Naeem (51), Adnan Mahmood (49) and veteran all-rounder Tahir Mughal (39) were the leading scorers for SPM after being asked to bat first by CDA.

Close of play scores on Saturday (day one of three): At Mirpur Cricket Stadium, Mirpur: SSGC 151 in 52.4 overs (Asif Zakir 52, Saifullah Khan Bangash 25, Mohammad Irfan 24 not out, Awais Zia; Nadeem Javed 5-27, Kashif Mahmood 3-17); KPT 97-6 in 27 overs (Mohammad Hasan 24 not out, Faisal Khan 17, Ahmed Iqbal 15 not out; Nasir Malik 3-32, Rajesh Ramesh 2-29).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: SAYID PAPER MILLS 271 in 69.1 overs (Babar Naeem 51, Adnan Mahmood 49, Tahir Mughal 39, Maqbool Ahmed 35, Rehan Afridi 30, Umar Siddique 26; Azam Khan 3-78, Yasir Ashfaq 2-50, Mohammad Irfan 2-59); CDA 56-1 in 16 overs (Fahim Raja 28 not out, Naved Malik 19 not out).

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