KARACHI: A stunning century from former Pakistan U-19 wicket-keeper Mohammad Hasan enabled Karachi Dolphins to seal a creditable seven-wicket win against the vastly-experienced Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) in their Haier President’s Gold League One-day Cup tie here on Wednesday.

Chasing a formidable target of 278 in 45 overs — after the Group-I game was reduced to 45-over per side following a delayed start by an hour owing to wet conditions at the RLCA Ground in Gulberg — the Dolphins romped home with 22 deliveries to spare thanks largely to Hasan’s maiden List ‘A’ hundred.

The 24-year-old slim right-hander amply vindicated head coach Tauseef Ahmed’s decision to make him bat at No.3 by striking an undefeated 131 off 117 balls with the aid of 16 boundaries.

Hasan and left-hander Saad Ali, another player who played for Pakistan U-19, added 140 for the unbroken fourth-wicket partnership. Saad followed up his 81 against SNGPL on Monday with a 52-ball 53 featuring five fours and one six.

Earlier, former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq marked his return to competitive cricket a year in the wilderness in style. The ZTBL skipper was one of a quartet of Pakistan discards to make half-centuries in a total of 278-6 after winning the toss.

Razzaq scored 63 off 55 balls with a pair of sixes and as many fours to boost the total after openers Sharjeel Khan (run-a-ball 67, 10 fours and one six) and Yasir Hameed (63 off 80, six fours and one six) had given their side a rollicking start of 122 for the first wicket.

Former Pakistan Shoaib Malik returned from Big Bash duties for Hobart Hurricanes by hammering a 55-ball 66 that was embedded with six boundaries and a brace of sixes.

Meanwhile, national T20 champions Peshawar Panthers inflicted a shock 24-run defeat on National Bank at the NBP Sports Complex after their ‘no-show’ at the UBL Sports Complex on Monday resulted in a walkover being awarded to ZTBL in the opening round.

Ina game reduced to 38-overs per team, the Panthers thrived on skipper Akbar Badshah’s 21-ball cameo of an unbeaten 42 (four fours and one six) to reach 219-7.

NBP were all out for 195 in their chase with left-arm paceman Taj Wali taking three wickets, including the prized scalp of NBP skipper Kamran Akmal for one.

SNGPL hardly dropped a sweat in crushing Rawalpindi Rams by 10 wickets to register their second win in a 10-wicket romp at the Southend Club Ground.

After early morning showers forced an 11:00am start with each innings revised to 41 overs, SNGPL needed just 18.1 overs to send the Rams packing for a measly 53 all out before reaching their modest target in 10.1 overs.

SBP, inspired by centuries from young guns Mukhtar Ahmed and Babar Azam, breezed past Lahore Lions by nine wickets in the Group-II fixture at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad.

After the Lions had roared to 262-9 with slow left-armer Zafar Gohar taking four for 52, the bankers got over the line with 27 balls left.

Mukhtar completed his maiden List ‘A’ ton by scoring 111 (122 balls, 11 fours and one six) and Babar slammed an unconquered 129 (130 balls, 13 fours and one six) with the pair sharing a first-wicket partnership of 213.

Pakistan discard Khurram Manzoor scored an unbeaten 83 (85 balls, 13 boundaries) as Port Qasim Authority (PQA) bounced back from their shock loss to the Lions on Monday to whip Karachi Zebras by eight wickets at the UBL Sports Complex.

Openers Zain Abbas (85 off 115 balls, nine fours and two sixes) and Mohammad Yasin (72 off 66, 11 boundaries and two sixes) gave a 116-run start to help Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) get the better of Islamabad Leopards by seven wickets at the National Stadium.

Earlier, left-arm speedster Sadaf Hussain, playing just his second game after a year on the sidelines through fitness issues, grabbed figures of four for 40 as the Leopards recovered from 71-5 to collect 237 all out in 48.3 overs.

Results:

Group-I:

At RLCA Ground (Gulberg), Karachi: Karachi Dolphins bt ZTBL by seven wickets.

ZTBL 278-6 in 50 overs (Sharjeel Khan 67, Shoaib Malik 66, Yasir Hameed 63, Abdul Razzaq 63; Faraz Ahmed Khan 2-32); KARACHI DOLPHINS 281-3 in 41.2 overs (Mohammad Hasan 131 not out, Saad Ali 53 not out).

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: Peshawar Panthers bt National Bank by 24 runs.

PESHAWAR PANTHERS 219-7 in 38 overs (Adil Amin 51, Akbar Badshah 42, Israrullah 37, Mehran Ibrahim 34; Mohammad Asghar 3-53); National Bank 195 in 37.3 overs (Qaiser Abbas 60, Fawad Alam 44, Mohammad Nawaz 33; Taj Wali 3-40, Jibran Khan 2-20).

At Southend Club Ground, Karachi: SNGPL bt Rawalpindi Rams by 10 wickets.

RAWALPINDI RAMS 53 in 18.1 overs (Atif Jabbar 3-13, Hussain Talat 2-4, Asad Ali 2-14, Imran Khalid 2-18); SNGPL 55-0 in 10.1 overs (Imran Butt 34 not out).

Group-II:

At National Stadium, Karachi: KRL bt Islamabad Leopards by seven wickets.

ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 237 in 48.3 overs (Imad Wasim 89, Sarmad Bhatti 60; Sadaf Hussain 4-40, Rahat Ali 2-37); KRL 238-3 in 44.3 overs (Zain Abbas 85, Mohammad Yasin 72, Shoaib Ahmed Minhas 36 not out).

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: Port Qasim Authority bt Karachi Zebras by eight wickets.

KARACHI ZEBRAS 200-8 in 50 overs (Saud Shakeel 57, Mohammad Talha 4-24, Azam Hussain 2-41); PORT QASIM AUTHORITY 201-2 in 36.2 overs (Khurram Manzoor 83 not out, Khalid Latif 59, Shahzaib Hasan 30).

At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad: State Bank beat Lahore Lions by nine wickets.

LAHORE LIONS 256-9 in 50 overs (Saad Nasim 72, Ikhlaq Butt 67; Zafar Gohar 4-52); STATE BANK 262-1 in 45.3 overs (Babar Azam 1229 not out, Mukhtar Ahmed 111).

Friday’s fixtures:

Karachi Dolphins vs Rawalpindi Rams at UBL Sports Complex, Karachi; Peshawar Panthers vs SNGPL at National Stadium, Karachi; NBP vs ZTBL at NBP Sports Complex, Karachi; Lahore Lions vs KRL at RLCA Ground (Gulberg), Karachi; PQA vs SBP at Southend Club Ground, Karachi; Karachi Zebras vs Islamabad Leopards at Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play