KARACHI: Islamabad Leopards were the only winners in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship on a sombre Thursday as the remaining three Gold League fixtures, involving departmental teams, ended in draws.

While the sporting world was devastated by the tragic death of Australian batsman Phil Hughes in a Sydney hospital, the domestic first-class players in Pakistan paid homage to the late cricketer in different ways.

The Leopards defeated Peshawar Panthers by nine wickets at the latter’s home territory of Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar to earn nine points that lifted them to eighth spot in the standings with 24 points.

The Panthers, who were 126-3 after following on at stumps on Wednesday, lost their remaining wickets for the addition of only 75 runs. In fact, the Leopards claimed the last five wickets for 17 runs thanked to fine spin bowling of Imad Wasim.

The 25-year-old all-rounder, who bats right handed but bowls with his left arm, finished with six for 47 in 18.3 overs to bowl out the Panthers for 201. He ended with match figures of nine for 91.

Needing just 51, the Leopards sprinted to their modest target in just 7.5 overs with the left-handed Ali Sarfraz striking six boundaries in an unbeaten 27 off 22 deliveries.

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL)’s hopes of extending their lead at the top were thwarted when Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) batted throughout the day at the Marghazar Cricket Ground in Islamabad.

Resuming at 59-1after being set an improbable 423-run chase, ZTBL reached 296-6 largely due to a defiant sixth-wicket partnership of 138 between skipper Sohaib Malik and Shahid Yousuf.

Malik, the former Pakistan captain, scored 69 and Shahid hit 15 boundaries in making 77 from 124 balls. Zohaib Khan also played a good hand with a 183-ball 41.

SNGPL now have 54 points with three rounds to go before the top two sides qualify for the final.

Former Pakistan batsman and SNGPL head coach, Basit Ali, told Dawn that his charges were shell-shocked by the sad demise of Hughes and hence their focus was not on the game.

“Indeed, like the rest of the game’s followers, all of us are devastated by untimely death of a fine cricketer and human being that Phil Hughes was. He was part of the huge cricket family worldwide,” Basit commented. “It is, no doubt, one of the blackest days in the world of sports. We just can’t imagine what his family is going through at the moment.”

National Bank took only three points as well after United Bank reached 201-4 after opted against chasing a target 310 at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad.

After the match concluded, players of both sides along with match and team officials as well as PCB governing board member Shakil Sheikh attended a ceremony during candles were lit in memory of Phil Hughes.

Likewise, a minute silence was observed during the lunch interval of Port Qasim-Wapda match at the Gaddafi Stadium for the departed Australian cricketer.

Port Qasim, starting the day at 39-2, reached 303 all out in their second innings when the game was called off.

The ninth round of matches starts from Sunday.

Scores and results on Thursday (final day of four):

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: Match drawn.

PORT QASIM AUTHORITY 379 in 118.3 overs (Daniyal Ahsan 122 not out, Mohammad Sami 75, Azam Hussain 49, Shahzaib Hasan 38, Khalid Latif 31, Sohail Khan 25; Mohammad Ali Bhutta 3-63, Azhar Attari 3-117, Mohammad Haseeb 2-95) and 303 in 101 overs (Khalid Latif 95, Umar Amin 50, Abdur Rauf 43, Mohammad Sami 27; Aamir Sajjad 2-30, Mohammad Saad 2-43, Mohammad Haseeb 2-62, Iftikhar Ahmed 2-62); WATER AND POWER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 278 in 97.1 overs (Aamir Sajjad 103, Khalid Usman 38, Adnan Raees 32; Abdur Rauf 6-52, Sohail Khan 3-99).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: Match drawn.

NATIONAL BANK 451-9 declared in 120.3 overs (Umar Waheed 120, Mohammad Nawaz 98, Raza Hasan 57, Usman Qadir 52, Kamran Akmal 24; Ali Zahid 4-119, Adil Raza 2-94) and 168-4 declared in 26 overs (Kamran Akmal 88; Adil Raza 3-45); UNITED BANK 310 in 118.1 overs (Ali Asad 129, Umair Khan 76, Naved Sarwar 57; Raza Hasan 4-58, Zia-ul-Haq 3-68, Usman Qadir 2-19) and 201-4 in 72 overs (Umair Khan 55, Riaz Kail 52 not out, Naved Sarwar 45; Raza Hasan 2-33).

At Marghazar Cricket Ground, Islamabad: Match drawn.

SUI NORTHERN GAS PIPELINES LIMITED 306 in 101.5 overs (Khurram Shehzad 109, Ali Waqas 47, Bilawal Bhatti 41, Naeemuddin 29; Sajjad Hussain 3-69, Karamat Ali 2-36, Rao Iftikhar 2-84, Rehan Riaz 2-87) and 254-4 declared in 68 overs (Adnan Akmal 75, Khurram Shehzad 52 not out, Ali Waqas 50 not out, Imran Butt 35, Naeemuddin 26; Sajjad Hussain 2-23); ZARAI TARAQIATI BANK LIMITED 138 in 34 overs (Karamat Ali 26 not out; Bilawal Bhatti 3-31, Samiullah Khan Niazi 3-48, Ahmed Safi Abdullah 2-1) and 296-6 in 89 overs (Shahid Yousuf 77, Shoaib Malik 69, Zohaib Khan 41, Zulqarnain Haider 28; Samiullah Khan Niazi 3-55, Ahmed Safi Abdullah 2-77).

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: Islamabad Leopards beat Peshawar Panthers by nine wickets.

ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 402 in 135.1 overs (Faizan Riaz 114, Mohammad Irfan 99, Ali Sarfraz 67, Zohaib Ahmed 29, Sarmad Bhatti 25; Taj Wali 4-115, Azizullah 3-109, Jibran Khan 2-75) and 53-1 in 7.5 overs (Ali Sarfraz 29 not out); PESHAWAR PANTHERS 251 in 90.1 overs (Azizullah 59, Akbar Badshah 37, Adil Amin 33, Mehran Ibrahim 31, Jamaluddin 31; Zohaib Ahmed 3-40, Imad Wasim 3-44, Shehzad Azam Rana 2-55) and 201 in 60.3 overs (Israrullah 54, Musadiq Ahmed 42, Jamaluddin 30; Imad Wasim 6-47, Mudassar Ali 2-38).

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2014

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