KARACHI: A fine century from Danish Aziz inspired Karachi Zebras to a clinical 223-run rout of Azad Jammu Kashmir Jaguars in their second-round match of the PCB Inter-Region One-day Cricket Tournament on Monday.

In other matches played Lahore Lions, Abbottabad Falcons, Lahore Eagles, Rawalpindi Rams and Sialkot Stallions emerged victorious.

However, the day’s biggest winners were Zebras. After opting to bat first in the Pool ‘C’ fixture at the Mirpur Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, the visitors piled up 271 all out in 48.4 overs with Danish contributing exactly 100 (89 balls, 11 boundaries). Other run-getters were Saad Alam (46 off 59, one four), Alam Khurshid Shah (38 off 37, four fours), Salman Khan (35 off 44) and Fahaddis Bukhari (28 off 32).

The Jaguars were shot out for a measly 48 in 32.2 overs. Fahaddis inflicted the most damage on the home team with four wickets for 17 runs. Danish capped a fine game with three wickets for 12 runs.

In the same group the Rams defeated Multan Tigers by 24 runs at the Gymkhana Ground in Okara.

Aaqib Shah scored 68 and Umair Masood 59 to help Rams collect 195-8 in the allotted 50 overs; Mohammad Shahid bagged four wickets for 32 runs.

The Tigers, in response, were dismissed for 171 in the 48th over despite Yousuf Babar making 50 (96 balls, three fours and one six); Awais Iqbal captured four wickets for 41 runs.

The Lions sealed a 71-run win over Islamabad Leopards in the Pool ‘B’ clash at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad.

The Lions, who were asked to bat first, posted 237 all out in 49.4 overs with Rameez Younis (44) and Mohammad Naeem (42) the major scorers. Syed Riazad took three for 39.

The Leopards caved in for 166 in 43.4 overs of their reply with Sajawal Riaz playing a lone hand for a fighting 80 (120 balls, eight fours). Fahad Farooq picked up four wickets for 48 runs and Hussain Aziz three for 23.

The Eagles cruised to a an easy seven-wicket victory over Peshawar Panthers in the Pool ‘D’ game at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar after Karamat Ali’s 4-21 had restricted the hosts to a meagre 123 all out in 38.2 overs.

Gohar Hafeez then slammed an unbeaten 50 (105 balls, two fours) and Ahsan Tariq 48 not out (68 balls, five boundaries) to see their home with more than 13 overs to spare.

At the National Ground in the federal capital, the Stallions sealed a 20-run success against the NCA Colts.

Gul Zaman (60 off 68 balls, eight fours) guided the Stallions to 239 all out in the 49th over; Zeeshan Bar and Mohammad Mubashir each took three wickets.

The Colts were all out for 219 in the 46th over with Najid Raheel contributing 70 (96 balls, eight boundaries); Yasin Riaz grabbed four wickets for 42 runs.

Results on Monday:

Pool ‘B:

At Sports Complex, Mardan: Abbottabad Falcons beat Fata Cheetahs by three wickets.

FATA CHEETAHS 170 in 47.3 overs (Ahmed Asfand Yar 27, Mohammad Ibrahim 25, Samiullah 24, Usman Khan 23, Basit Ali 20; Sultan Muhammad Qureshi 3-35, Asim Kamal 3-34, Umair Khan 2-39); ABBOTTABAD FALCONS 171-7 in 47 overs (Sultan Mohammad Qureshi 54, Qaiser Khan 52 not out; Mohammad Ibrahim 3-25, Ahmed Asfand Yar 2-46).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: Lahore Lions beat Islamabad Leopards by 71 runs.

LAHORE LIONS 237 in 49.4 overs (Rameez Younis 44, Mohammad Naeem 42, Azeem Sabir 33; Syed Riazad 3-39, Asjad Nawaz 2-33); ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 166 in 43.4 overs (Sajawal Riaz 80, Syed Riazad 35 not out; Fahad Farooq 4-48, Hussain Aziz 3-23).

Pool ‘C’:

At Mirpur Cricket Stadium, Mirpur: Karachi Zebras beat Azad Jammu Kashmir Jaguars by 223 runs.

KARACHI ZEBRAS 271 in 48.4 overs (Danish Aziz 100, Saad Alam 46, Alam Khurshid Shah 38, Salman Ali 35, Fahaddis Bukhari 28; Usman Maroof 3-49, Usman Khawaja 2-49, Salman Irshad 2-51); AZAD JAMMU KASHMIR JAGUARS 48 in 32.2 overs (Fahaddis Bukhari 4-17, Danish Aziz 3-12, Ghulam Hussain 2-7).

At Gymkhana Ground, Okara: Rawalpindi Rams beat Multan Tigers by 24 runs.

RAWALPINDI RAMS 195-8 in 50 overs (Aaqib Shah 63, Umair Masood 59, Shadab Khan 27 not out; Mohammad Shahid 4-32, Zeeshan Majeed 2-29); MULTAN TIGERS 171 in 47.4 overs (Yousuf Babar 50, Ahmer Ashfaq 36, Mohammad Basit 21; Awais Iqbal 4-41, Shadab Khan 2-11).

Pool ‘D’:

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: Lahore Eagles beat Peshawar Panthers by seven wickets.

PESHAWAR PANTHERS 123 in 38.2 overs (Usman Ali Shah 28, Zia-ur-Rehman 25, Sahibzada Farhan 20; Karamat Ali 4-21, Ahmed Bashir 2-15); LAHORE EAGLES 126-3 in 36.5 overs (Gohar Hafeez 50 not out, Ahsan Tariq 48 not out; Umar Islam 2-30).

At National Ground, Islamabad: Sialkot Stallions beat NCA Colts by 20 runs.

SIALKOT STALLIONS 239 in 48.5 overs (Gul Zaman 60, Usman Afzal 46, Sohail Pervez 39; Zeeshan Babar 3-42, Mohammad Mubashir 3-51); NCA COLTS 219 in 45.5 overs (Najid Raheel 70, Hassaan Khan 31, Mohammad Ibtesam 23; Yasin Riaz 4-42, Hafiz Hassam 2-8).

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2014