KARACHI: PIA put themselves in a commanding position after reducing Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to 127-6 on the second day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship Group ‘A’ match at the UBL Sports Complex here on Saturday.

SSGC, despite an attractive 49 from skipper Saeed bin Nasir, were in trouble from the onset when the in-form Asif Zakir horribly misjudged the first delivery of the innings from left-arm paceman Najaf Shah and was adjudged LBW.

Najaf took another wicket while fellow paceman Aizaz bin Ilyas claimed two before Saeed and Mohammad Masroor (20) added 42. But Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan star, dismissed them both to put PIA firmly in control.

Earlier, Kamran Sajid added just five runs to his overnight score of 92 before he was trapped in front by speedster Sohail Khan, who produced a devastating five-wicket burst with the second new ball to trigger a dramatic collapse that saw PIA crash down from 236-3 to 287-9.

PIA eventually reached 320 in their first innings thanked to the last-wicket stand of 33 between Tahir Khan (24 not out) and Aizaz (10). Sohail finished with 5-102 in 30 overs

Habib Bank were also in ascendancy after Pakistan stars Danish Kaneria (4-32) and Umar Gul (3-35) bowled out KRL for 130 to give the bankers a first-innings lead of 92 at the National Stadium.

Ex-Test opener Taufiq Umar struck an unbeaten 90 (12 fours) to extend Habib Bank’s overall lead to 287. Umar Gul also shone with the bat by making 41 in the unbroken 59-run stand as Habib Bank closed at 195-5. Pakistan Customs were heading for their second straight loss after Karachi Whites dismissed them for 106 to take a first-innings lead of 128 at the Southend Cricket Club Ground with paceman Tabish Khan taking 5-51. The hosts further their advantage to reach 137-5 in the second innings to enjoy an overall lead of 243.

Abbottabad’s 19-year-old fast bowler Junaid Khan picked up 7-94 to restrict Karachi Blues to 335 in their first innings in the Group ‘B’ tie in Abbottabad. The home team closed at 211-5 in reply.

Rawalpindi skipper Naveed Qureshi slammed his first double century in first-class cricket by extending his overnight score of 166 to an undefeated 230 (219 balls, 25 fours and six sixes) to help his side reach 531 against Hyderabad at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad.

Hyderabad, in contrast, were left battling for survival after Rawalpindi shot them out for 96 with paceman Mohammad Rameez (5-42) causing havoc. The visitors, following on, ended the day at 97-2.

Our Sports Reporter adds from Lahore: Pakistan batsman Fawad Alam continued his excellent start to the season by smashing his second consecutive century to put National Bank in sight of victory against Wapda in the Group ‘A’ match at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Fawad struck an unbeaten 154 (190 balls, 15 fours) as the bankers earned a massive first-innings lead of 188 by making 321 in reply to Wapda’s 133. Fawad got great support from Mohammad Aamir (37) as the two left-handers added 97 for the eighth wicket.

Despite a captain’s knock from captain Aamir Sajjad (70 not out), Wapda were struggling at 128-4.

Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal snared 4-53 to help Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) take a first-innings lead of 99 after Lahore Shalimar were dismissed for 165.

ZTBL stretched their overall lead to 213 by reaching 114-3 with opener Imran Nazir blasting 12 fours and two sixes in a 45-ball 71.

Opener Kashif Siddique scored a career-best 178 (245 balls, 17 fours and one six) to put Lahore Ravi on top against Sialkot at the Lahore Country Club in Muridke. Sialkot were 79-3 in reply to Lahore Ravi’s 328.

Test paceman Abdur Rauf took 5-76 as Multan gained a lead of 49 against hosts Faisalabad who were all out for 188 with opener Imran Ali carrying his bat for 90 (nine fours). Multan went to stumps at 93-1.

Scores on Saturday (day two of four):

Group ‘A’:

At National Stadium, Karachi: HABIB BANK 222 in 59.2 overs (Hasan Raza 50, Ahmed Shahzad 39; Akhtar Ayub 3-41) and 195-5 in 58 overs (Taufiq Umar 90 not out, Umar Gul 41 not out, Mohammad Irfan 4-47); KRL 130 in 44 overs (Saeed Anwar Jr 57; Danish Kaneria 4-32, Umar Gul 3-35).

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: PIA 320 in 115.3 overs (Kamran Sajid 97, Fahad Iqbal 79; Sohail Khan 5-102); SSGC 127-6 in 48 overs (Saeed bin Nasir 48).

At Southend Cricket Club Stadium, Karachi: KARACHI WHITES 234 in 87.5 overs (Afsar Nawaz 60, Mohtashim Ali 51; Tahir Mughal 4-45) and 137-4 in 41.5 overs (Naveed Khan 55, Afsar Nawaz 41);

PAKISTAN CUSTOMS 106 in 33.3 overs (Tabish Khan 5-51, Ali Mudassar 3-9).

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: WAPDA 133 in 42.2 overs (Mohammad Yousuf 35; Mohammad Asif 5-35,

Mohammad Talha 3-34) and 128-4 in 39 overs (Aamir Sajjad 70 not out); NATIONAL BANK 321 in 79.5 overs (Fawad Alam 154 not out, Umar Amin 43, Mohammad Aamir 37; Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 3-67, Azharullah 3-107).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: ZTBL 264 in 84.2 overs (Haris Sohail 64, Zulqarnain Haider 54 not out, Wajahatullah Wasti 42, Saeed Ajmal 33; Saad Nasim 3-53, Mohammad Naved 3-68) and 114-3 in 20 overs (Imran Nazir 71);

LAHORE SHALIMAR 165 in 61.3 overs (Ahmed Dar 66, Ali Raza 37; Saeed Ajmal 4-53).

Group ‘B’:

At Lahore Country Club, Muridke: LAHORE RAVI 328 in 131.4 overs (Kashif Siddique 178, Asim Naz 43, Ashraf Ali 40; Prince Abbas 3-49, Salman Ali 3-74); SIALKOT 79-3 in 32 overs.

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: MULTAN 237 in 74.5 overs (Naved Yasin 43, Fayyaz-ul-Hasan 41; Ahmed Hayat 4-38) and 93-1 in 33 overs (Ghulam Fareed 52 not out); FAISALABAD 188 in 53.3 overs (Imran Ali 90 not out, Mohammad Salman 42; Abdur Rauf 5-76).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: RAWALPINDI 531 in 99.4 overs (Naveed Qureshi 230 not out, Rashid Latif 50, Babar Naeem 46, Fawad Hussain 41, Yasim Murtaza 41, Adnan Mufti 38; Noman Khan 4-122, Pir Zulfiqar 3-123); HYDERABAD 96 in 36.3 overs (Mohammad Rameez 5-42, Haseeb Azam 3-20) and 97-2 in 25 overs (Sharjeel Khan 45).

At National Ground, Islamabad: QUETTA 207 in 53 overs (Sanaullah Khan 38; Nauman Habib 4-67, Imran Khan 3-47) and 12-0 in 5 overs; PESHAWAR 213 in 103.2 overs (Mohammad Idrees 51; Nazar Hussain 4-80, Arun Lal 3-62).

At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium: KARACHI BLUES 335 in 103.1 overs (Ali Asad 113, Khalid Latif 103; M. Junaid Khan 7-94); ABBOTTABAD 211-5 in 60 overs (Mohammad Kashif 49, Riaz Kail 42).