Sami gives KW early edge

Published October 22, 2017

KARACHI: Seasoned campaigner Mohammad Sami grabbed a second successive five-for as Karachi Whites shot out Rawalpindi for 123 on day one of their fifth-round Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship fixture at the National Stadium here on Saturday.

The former Pakistan fast bowler followed up his 5-55 (match haul of 9-95) in Karachi Whites’ victory over Habib Bank Limited (HBL) earlier in the week by taking five wickets for 32 runs in 20.3 overs after Mohammad Hasan put the visitors into bat in the Group ‘B’ clash.

Ironically, the main run-getters for Rawalpindi were Behram Khan and Shaharyar Ghani, the two Karachi players who were picked in their squad on the draft selection policy adopted by the Pakistan Cricket Board for this championship.

Behram, a right-hander who is the nephew of former Pakistan Test batsman Mohsin Khan, emerged as the top-scorer with a patient 43 from 114 balls in 216 minutes while left-handed Shaharyar scored 27 as the pair added 66 for the fourth wicket.

Seamer Adeel Malik lent fine support to Sami claiming 4-32 in 18 overs.

Karachi Whites ran into trouble from the onset of their reply when they slumped to 22-3. But Faisal Iqbal, who seems to be have been forgotten by the national selectors for good, dominated the 55-run unfinished partnership of 55 with Mohtashim Ali (17) as he made 37 off 44 balls with five fours and one six.

The left-arm spin duo of stand-in skipper Asif Afridi (5-68 in 29 overs) and Asif (3-40) restricted Lahore Whites to 240 all out in their first innings after Fata elected to field first at the LCCA Ground in Lahore.

Fata openers Mohammad Naeem and Samiullah Jr negotiated two overs without scoring before stumps.

Group ‘B’ leaders United Bank Limited (UBL) faced tough resistance from Pakistan Television (PTV) batsmen as the latter reached 212-6 after being asked to bat at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot.

Opener Adnan Mahmood held together PTV’s innings by batting all day to make 72 from 239 balls with five boundaries.

Left-arm paceman Mir Hamza, who marked his return to the side with 10 wickets against Rawalpindi in the previous match, has so far picked up 4-45 in 18 overs.

HBL reduced Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) to 14-2 after being dismissed for 212 at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan. Azeem Ghumman contributed 62 after KRL won the toss while Ahmed Bashir took 4-53 before Ammad Butt quickly got rid of KRL openers Junaid Ali (1) and Jaahid Ali (6).

It was an action-packed day at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium in the top-of-the-table Group ‘A’ encounter between Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL).

After opting to bat first once stand-in skipper Fawad Alam won the toss, leaders SSGC were sent packing for a paltry 129 by the pace trio of Pakistan Test star Mohammad Abbas (2-29), Asad Ali (4-38) and Azizullah (2-31). Awais Zia scored 45.

But Ahmed Jamal led a dramatic comeback from SSGC as SNGPL crashed from being 49-0 to 104-7 with the gangling right-arm paceman grabbing all seven wickets to fall for 30 runs in 10.4 overs. Among his notable victims were Test batsman Asad Shafiq (9), ex-Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq (3), Test discards Iftikhar Ahmed (0) and Mohammad Rizwan (4).

Good contributions from Bilal Asif (84 off 108 balls, nine fours and three sixes), skipper Rameez Raja (68) and Kamran Ghulam (50) inspired National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) to a respectable 290-8 after the bankers chose to bat first against holders Wapda at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.

Fahad Iqbal struck an unbeaten 71 to guide Islamabad to 259-6 after Faisalabad skipper Saeed Ajmal decided to bowl first at the Diamond Club Ground in the federal capital.

After being bowled for 181, Peshawar, who won the toss, hit back to leave Lahore Blues struggling at 104-5 at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium in Abbottabad.

Close of play scores on Saturday (day one of four):

Fifth round:

Group ‘A’:

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: SSGC 129 in 41.3 overs (Awais Zia 45; Asad Ali 4-38, Mohammad Abbas 2-28, Azizullah 2-29); SNGPL 104-7 in 27.4 overs (Ali Waqas 27 not out, Taimur Sultan 27; Ahmed Jamal 7-30).

At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: NBP 290-8 in 87 overs (Bilal Asif 84, Rameez Raja 64, Kamran Ghulam 50, Haris Ali Khan 28, Raza Hasan 28 not out; Zahid Mansoor 2-23, Mansoor Amjad 2-44, Zulfiqar Babar 2-77) vs WAPDA.

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: ISLAMABAD 250-6 in 80.2 overs (Fahad Iqbal 71 not out, Ali Sarfraz 54, Shahid Yousuf 50; Naseer Akram 4-75) vs FAISALABAD.

At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad: PESHAWAR 181 in 48.1 overs (Gohar Ali 68, Jamaluddin 38, Israrullah 31; Saad Nasim 4-32, Aizaz Cheema 4-42); LAHORE BLUES 104-5 in 27 overs (Tayyab Tahir 59 not out; Shah Faisal 3-22).

Group ‘B’:

At National Stadium, Karachi: RAWALPINDI 123 in 55.3 overs (Behram Khan 43, Shaharyar Ghani 27; Mohammad Sami 5-32, Adel Malik -32); KARACHI WHITES 75-3 in 26 overs (Faisal Iqbal 37 not out; Nazar Hussain 2-27).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: LAHORE WHITES 240 in 79.1 overs (Mohammad Mohsin 53, Usman Salahuddin 46, Mohammad Irfan 45, Ameer Hamza 38; Asif Afridi 5-68, Asif Ali 3-40); FATA 0-0 in 2 overs.

At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: HBL 212 in 74.3 overs (Azeem Ghumman 62, Jamal Anwar 50; Ahmed Bashir 4-53, Sadaf Hussain 3-36, Ali Shafiq 2-29); KRL 14-2 in 4.4 overs (Ammad Butt 2-2).

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: PTV 212-6 in 77.1 overs (Adnan Mahmood 72 not out, Hasan Raza 42, Raheel Majeed 37; Mir Hamza 4-45) vs UBL.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2017

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