KARACHI: Karachi clinched the PCB-Pepsi Cricket Stars title after their three-day final against Dera Murad Jamali ended in a draw at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Monday.

Karachi, who won the tournament thanked to their 70-run lead on the first innings, reached 261 all out in their second innings after starting the last day at 125-5.

The highlight of their innings was the splendid batting of Obaisullah who scored 97 to follow his 81 in the first innings. His 251-ball knock was embedded with 11 boundaries.

Abdul Waheed took another wicket on Monday to end up fine analysis of four for 61, while Talib Hussain and Abdul Haq bagged two wickets apiece.

Requiring an improbable 332 to secure an outright victory in order to win the title, Dera Murad Jamali collected 162-4 in their second innings in 31.3 overs when play was called off for the final time.

Opener Shoaib Ahmed completed a magnificent by scoring century in each of the final. Having made 113 in the first innings on Sunday, Shoaib raced to an undefeated 102 from just 104 deliveries. His brilliant effort included 13 boundaries and deservingly earned him the man-of-the-final prize.

Aarish Kaimkhani, Karachi’s most successful bowler in the first innings with 4-98, grabbed two wickets for 78 runs.

The title-deciding fixture was supervised by ex-international umpire Zameer Haider and Asif Yaqoob, while Noor Nabi was the official scorer.

Karachi won the winners’ purse of Rs250,000 while Dera Murad Jamali won the runners-up prize of Rs150,000.

Prolific Karachi opener Haider Ali, hammered an epic 249 not out against Hyderabad and 128 versus Larkana in the league round earlier in the tournament, was adjudged the best batsman of the competition.

Dera Murad Jamali’s all-rounder Fahad Hussain became winner of two individual awards as he was declared the best bowler as well as the best all-rounder.

Scores and result on Monday (final day of three):

Final:

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: Match drawn (Karachi win title on first innings lead).

KARACHI 315 in 83 overs (Obaisullah 81, Anas Ilyas 69, Mohammad Usman 63, Syed Mohammad Amin 29, Haider Ali 23; Fida Hussain 5-113, Talib Hussain 2-16, Abdul Waheed 2-72) and 261 in 109.2 overs (Obaisullah 97, Syed Mohammad Amin 52, Tariq Butt 38, Shahid Nisar 26; Abdul Waheed 4-61, Talib Hussain 2-26, Abdul Haq 2-52); DERA MURAD JAMALI 245 in 74 overs (Shoaib Ahmed 113, Fida Hussain 70, Mohammad Shahid 28; Aarish Kaimkhani 4-98, Mohammad Usman 3-9) and 162-4 in 31.3 overs (Shoaib Ahmed 102 not out, Aaqib Junaid 21; Aarish Kaimkhani 2-78).

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2015

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