KARACHI: Karachi Whites were heading for their third defeat in the RBS Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship after losing six second-innings wickets against PIA at the National Stadium here on Friday.

Facing a huge first-innings deficit of 240, Karachi Whites closed the penultimate day of the four-day Group ‘A’ match at 209-6 with Atif Ali Zaidi (42) and Babar Rehman (36) involved in a fighting unbroken stand of 57.

Opener Naveed Khan hit 49 after top-scoring with 55 in the first innings. Left-arm paceman Jamshed Ahmed has so far taken 3-47 in 12 overs.

Earlier, PIA declared their first innings at 432-5 after skipper Sarfraz Ahmed (51 not out) and Janisar Khan had shared a partnership of 108.

Meanwhile, Karachi Blues’ unbeaten start to the season ended as Rawalpindi defeated them by 77 runs in the Group ‘B’ clash at the National Ground in Islamabad. Both teams now are equal on points with 27 apiece but Rawalpindi have played a game less to the Blues’ four.

The hero for Rawalpindi was their 35-year-old opening bowler Rashid Latif who returned career-best analyses of 7-69 in 22.4 overs as the Blues were dismissed for 203 after being set a gettable target of 281.

Shahzeb Hasan was the only Blues batsman to offer fight with 87. Tanvir Ahmed, the season’s top wicket-taker (39 in four matches), struck five fours and four sixes in a defiant 50 off 27 balls.

Sialkot, the defending champions, also moved up the table after beating hosts Abbottabad by 136 runs. Abbottabad, chasing 244, were all out for 107. Faisal Rasheed claimed 5-58 and Naved Arif took 3-30 to finish with match bag of 10-96.

Our Sports Reporter adds from Lahore: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) moved to the top of Group ‘A’ standings after inflicting an emphatic innings and 115 runs win over Sui Southern Gas Corporation (SSGC) in Sheikhupura.

SSGC folded up for under 200 for the second time in the match as they made 182 in the second innings despite Bilal Asad’s 81. Test discard Mohammad Hafeez took 5-64 with his off-spinners.

Earlier, SNGPL obtained a decisive first-innings lead of 297 by adding 38 runs to their overnight total of 418-6. SSGC’s paceman Shakeel-ur-Rehman captured 6-105.

SNGPL now have picked up 24 points with this their victory. However, they will move down the standings on Saturday if the match between National Bank and Habib Bank ends in an outright win for National Bank. A Habib Bank victory will bring them level on points with SNGPL.

Habib Bank, meanwhile, staged a great comeback to have National Bank struggling at 121-7 in the second innings at the Gaddafi Stadium.

National Bank, who gained a 59-run lead on the first innings, have an overall lead of only 180 with three wickets standing.

Earlier, Habib Bank were all out for 353 after resuming at 207-5. Taufiq Umar completed a fine century (114 off 190 balls, 16 boundaries) having continued his innings at the overnight tally of 87. Test reject Abdul Rehman was the major run-getter on Friday with 85 off 174 balls (10 fours).

Wapda chalked up a much-needed first win of the championship with a six-wicket defeat of Lahore Shalimar at the LCCA Ground. Chasing a modest 157, Wapda needed 30.1 overs to reach their target with Imranullah blasting 18 fours and one six in a 59-ball knock of 85.