NBP overwhelm KRL to reach Gold League final

Published January 31, 2015
Karachi: A view of the semi-final between KRL and NBP at the National Stadium here on Friday.—Tahir Jamal/White Star
Karachi: A view of the semi-final between KRL and NBP at the National Stadium here on Friday.—Tahir Jamal/White Star

KARACHI: National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) put up a professional performance to cruise into the Haier President’s Gold League One-day Cup final after overcoming Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) in the second semi-final at the National Stadium here on Friday.

After amassing an imposing 340-5, NBP always had the edge over the side that shared the departmental one-day national trophy last season when the final in Lahore was disrupted by poor weather.

KRL, requiring to get going from the very beginning of their chase, never really threatened to challenge as the asking rate kept creeping up.

It was a fitting result in favour of NBP by 48 runs – a margin that could have been close to 80 if not for some belated hitting from Ali Khan, who was mystifyingly sent in much too late.

After Thursday’s lop-sided opening last-four clash which saw State Bank whipped Karachi Dolphins by nine wickets, the setting on Friday promised an enthralling battle between Group-I runners-up and Group-II champions.

But it was not be as NBP dominated the game from ball one after KRL skipper Saeed Anwar Jr, despite calling correctly at the toss, decided that fielding would be the best option after revealing that batting was his team’s strength.

The onslaught on the bowling was led by Kamran Akmal as the NBP experienced captain bludgeoned 11 boundaries and one six during a rollicking 75-ball 90 after openers Nasir Jamshed (32 off 49 balls, four fours) and the in-form youngster Sami Aslam (59 off 62, six boundaries) had put on 76 in the opening 15 overs.

Kamran was then joined by fellow Pakistan discard Fawad Alam in a rousing partnership of 97 from 95 deliveries as the third-wicket pair cashed in on some wayward stuff dished out by KRL bowlers.

Fawad, as busy as ever, helped himself effortlessly to 68 off 62 balls while striking seven hits to the fence. After seeing his skipper edge a catch to veteran wicket-keeper Zulfiqar Jan shortly after batting power play finished, Fawad and Mohammad Nawaz (38 off 32, four fours) put on 72 from only 52 balls.

The icing on the NBP cake was provided by a 15-ball cameo from Qaiser Abbas who blasted five fours in a cavalier 33 ensuring KRL would find it extremely difficult to catch up them. Test fast bowler Rahat Ali had a torrid time as he was hammered for 86 runs from his full quota.

Imam-ul-Haq was the mainstay of KRL’s innings with a 103-ball 89. The bespectacled left-handed nephew of former Pakistan captain and batting legend Inzamam-ul-Haq slammed seven boundaries before he was fourth man to be dismissed; lobbing a simple chance to Raza Hasan off left-arm pacer Zia-ul-Haq who bowled a telling spell in the death overs.

The significant partnerships in the second half of the game were provided by Imam and Saeed (40 off 49 balls, three fours) who added 105 in 112 balls after Zain Abbas was brilliantly held on midwicket boundary by Zia-ul-Haq. It was quite a superb piece of athleticism from a young cricketer who will be surely knocking the door of Test cricket in the future.

After they went, Shoaib Ahmed Minhas only delayed the inevitable, crashing four boundaries in an attractive 48 off 46 deliveries as Zia pocked four wickets for 61 runs, Raza 3-51 and the promising slow left-armer Mohammad Asghar 2-65.

Thus, Sunday’s title-decider will be played between two sides who didn’t top their respective pool.

Scoreboard

NATIONAL BANK:

Nasir Jamshed b Yasin32 Sami Aslam c Shoaib b Nauman59 Kamran Akmal c Zulfiqar b Rahat90 Fawad Alam c Zain b Sadaf68 Mohammad Nawaz c Imam b Sadaf38 Qaiser Abbas not out33 Umar Waheed not out11

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-6, NB-1)9

TOTAL (for five wkts, 50 overs)340

FALL OF WKTS: 1-76, 2-126, 3-223, 4-295, 5-295.

DID NOT BAT: Raza Hasan, Mohammad Asghar, Attaullah, Zia-ul-Haq.

BOWLING: Sadaf Hussain 10-3-60-2 (1nb, 4w); Rahat Ali 10-1-86-1 (2w); Nauman Ali 10-0-60-1; Mohammad Yasin 6-0-36-1; Usama Mir 5-1-37-0; Saeed Anwar 9-0-59-0.

KHAN RESEARCH LABORATORIES:

Imam-ul-Haq c Raza b Zia89 Mohammad Yasin c Raza b Zia23 Zain Abbas c Umar b Asghar39 Saeed Anwar Jr lbw b Asghar40 Shoaib Ahmed Minhas c Qaiser b Zia48 Nauman Ali c sub b Raza2 Ali Khan b Raza20 Zulfiqar Jan c Qaiser b Raza16 Usama Mir c Sami b Zia5 Rahat Ali not out7 Sadaf Hussain b Umar2

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-5, NB-2)11

TOTAL (all out, 49.2 overs) 292

FALL OF WKTS: 1-41, 2-80, 3-185, 4-201, 5-206, 6-259, 7-277, 8-278, 9-282.

BOWLING: Zia-ul-Haq 10-0-61-4 (2w); Attaullah 5-0-32-0 (1nb, 2w); Mohammad Asghar 10-0-65-2; Raza Hasan 10-0-51-3 (1nb); Umar Waheed 7.2-0-44-1 (1w); Mohammad Nawaz 7-0-35-0.

RESULT: NBP won by 48 runs.

UMPIRES: Riazuddin and Mohammad Asif.

TV UMPIRE: Khalid Mahmood.

MATCH REFEREE: Musaddeq Rasool Khan.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2015

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