KARACHI: Discarded Pakistan batsman Ahmed Shehzad lit up the National Stadium on Saturday with an awesome century as Habib Bank Limited and Sui Southern Gas Company reached the final of the National One-day Cup for Departments with identical victories.

SSGC made it to their maiden title-decider of a major domestic competition by humbling Quaid-i-Azam Trophy champions Water and Power Development (Wapda) by six wickets in their semi-final at the NBP Sports Complex in treacherous playing conditions.

HBL, on the other hand, encountered no problems in seeing off Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) in the other semi-final almost effortlessly thanks to Shehzad’s memorable career-best contribution of 166.

Chasing 285 during the second half in perfect conditions, HBL romped home with as many as 23 deliveries left to their second straight final of the season after finishing runners-up to Wapda in the drawn fixture of the first-class event at the same venue a couple of weeks ago.

Shehzad, the 25-year-old right-hander who has lost favours with the Pakistan Cricket Board over disciplinary issues after appearing at the 2016 World Twenty20 held in India, didn’t put a wrong foot as he produced an array of breathtaking strokes on both sides of the vast National Stadium field.

There were 17 boundaries and six sixes during Shehzad’s 143-ball knock — which surpassed his previous best List A score of 143 for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against Sindh in the Pakistan Cup at Faisalabad in April 2016 — before the HBL captain was dismissed in the 42nd over when only 20 runs were still required for victory.

Launching his innings in blazing fashion after Imam-ul-Haq (4) had been caught behind on the second ball of the opening over as he crunched young paceman Azizullah for four successive boundaries, including a cut that just sped away to the point fence like a tracer bullet.

Replacing Azizullah for the third over of the chase, Bilawal Bhatti was flicked through the midwicket region with contemptuous ease by Shehzad, who seemed to be batting in a trance, just two days after making an undefeated 112 in the last-round fixture against PIA at the SBP Sports Complex on Thursday.

While Shehzad was going at a breakneck pace, Fakhar Zaman was content to play the unaccustomed role of an anchor. The talented left-handed opener, already tipped by ex-Pakistan paceman and former Saleem Jaffer to play in the top tier of international cricket in the next few months, compiled 68 off 61 balls with eight boundaries.

Fakhar was also well on course to reach three figures but a lapse in concentration brought about his downfall when he casually walked out of the crease was stumped by Salman Afridi after having added 152 with his captain in 136 balls.

After Aftab Khan (13) holed out to Mohammad Imran on the midwicket boundary, Shehzad finally departed when he attempted to scoop Bilawal behind but lobbed a simple chance for Salman to get underneath the white ball.

Earlier, Imran Khalid produced a splendid knock of 105 without being dismissed to help SNGPL recover from 112-4 in the 26th over to post 284-8 after Shehzad asked Mohammad Hafeez’s side to have first use of the good-looking pitch.

Opener Imran Butt scored 81 from 110 balls (10 boundaries) as he and Hafeez (49 off 52 balls, five fours and two sixes) put on 73 for the second wicket in 93 balls before Imran Khalid joined the young opening batsman in stand worth 102 from 96 deliveries.

Imran Khalid, a gusty left-handed all-rounder, adorned his 79-ball effort with 13 fours and one six.

Seamer Ammad Butt was the pick of HBL bowling with 3-44 from 10 overs, while spinning all-rounder Zohaib Khan snared 2-45, also in 10 overs.

The HBL-SNGP game also marked the end of Ishtiaq Ahmed’s long career as a respectable match referee. Popularly known as ‘Lala’, Ishtiaq, a former first-class cricketer, reaches the age of superannuation on Sunday, the 1st of January 2017.

The other semi-final was reduced to a 45-over affair after wet conditions, courtesy of heavy overnight dew, forced a late start by an hour. Winning the toss virtually decided the result as Wapda huffed and puffed to 143-8 after SSGC skipper Fawad Alam inserted them in.

The big blows were struck by tall paceman Ahmed Shehzad in the fifth over of the day when he forced Wapda captain Salman Butt (3) to edge a wide ball to wicket-keeper Saifullah Khan Bangash.

Ahmed then picked up the prized scalp of Kamran Akmal a day after the veteran wicket-keeper/batsman was a shock omission from the Pakistan squad for the ODI series in Australia. He was bowled second ball for a duck when he left a yawning gap while attempting to drive.

Aamir Sajjad was the chief run-getter thereafter with a 73-ball 43 as no one else managed to make significant contributions.

Awais Zia then set the tone for SSGC with a feisty 59 off 57 balls with eight fours and one before Shoaib Malik hoisted leg-spinner Mansoor Amjad for a huge six to end a forgetful match.

The final takes place at the National Stadium on Monday.

Saturday’s result:

Semi-finals:

At National Stadium, Karachi: Habib Bank Limited beat Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited by six wickets.

SUI NORTHERN GAS PIPELINES LIMITED 284-8 in 50 overs (Imran Khalid 105 not out, Imran Butt 81, Mohammad Hafeez 49; Ammad Butt 3-44, Zohaib Khan 2-45); HABIB BANK LIMITED 287-4 in 46.1 overs (Ahmed Shehzad 166, Fakhar Zaman 61, Rameez Aziz 28 not out).

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: Sui Southern Gas Company beat Water and Power Development Authority by six wickets.

WATER AND POWER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 145-9 in 45 overs (Aamir Sajjad 43, Nauman Anwar 23, Rizwan Haider 20; Ahmed Jamal 2-14, Zafar Gohar 2-17, Shoaib Malik 2-27); SUI SOUTHERN GAS COMPANY 148-4 in 29.3 overs (Awais Zia 59, Fawad Alam 34 not out, Shoaib Malik 33 not out; Khalid Usman 2-33).

Published in Dawn January 1st, 2017