KARACHI: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) will be eyeing seventh successive victory in the RBS Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship when they meet Karachi Whites at the National Stadium in one of the seven matches starting from Saturday.

Another win will not only extend SNGPL’s position top of Group ‘A’ but also will put pressure on other rivals to qualify for next month’s final.

Karachi Whites, on the other hand, have scored a solitary victory — against the lowly-rated Pakistan Customs — in six games. On Wednesday they suffered a heartbreaking one-wicket defeat against Wapda at the same venue.

PIA, who were not in action in the seventh round, take on second-placed Habib Bank in what should be a close match at the Marghzar Cricket Ground in Islamabad.
 
The bankers are in a ‘must win’ situation after losing to SNGPL earlier this week despite the fact that their remaining matches after the PIA fixture are against Customs and Lahore Shalimar.
 
Last championship’s runners-up Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), currently struggling in ninth spot, are battling to avoid being relegated next season and their task to avert such a possibility is not easy as they play fifth-placed Wapda on their home territory in Rawalpindi in a match that has been delayed until Sunday for unspecified reasons according a Pakistan Cricket Board media release.

Defending champions Sialkot, meanwhile, get a chance to close gap on Group ‘B’ leaders Karachi Blues as they prepare to host Peshawar at the Jinnah Stadium after collecting 36 points from six matches.

Rawalpindi, who like Sialkot have the same tally of points from similar number of games, face Lahore Ravi at the LCCA Ground after the latter finally tasted victory against Quetta at the same venue on Tuesday.

Karachi Blues, who top the pool with 48 points and are not in action in the coming round, have an extended rest since the tournament will take a break after the eighth round until Dec 3 because of Eid-ul-Azha holidays.

Schedule (Nov 21-24):
Group ‘A’: Karachi Whites v SNGPL (National Stadium, Karachi); SSGC v ZTBL (Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore); Habib Bank v PIA (Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad); National Bank v Pakistan Customs (National Ground, Islamabad); KRL v Wapda (KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi from Nov 22)

Group ‘B’: Hyderabad v Faisalabad (Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad); Lahore Ravi v Rawalpindi (LCCA Ground, Lahore); Islamabad v Abbottabad (Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad); Multan v Quetta (Gymkhana Club Ground, Okara); Sialkot v Peshawar (Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot).