KARACHI, July 15: Youngsters Babar Azam and Hussain Talat shared a magnificent unbroken century partnership to steer Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) to an impressive eight-wicket victory over Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) in the PCB Ramazan T20 Cup clash at the National Stadium here on Sunday night.

Babar, the 18-year-old Pakistan Under-19 batsman, played an exceptional innings of 77 while dominating the third-wicket stand of 112 in 81 deliveries with the 16-year-old T20 debutant Hussain as ZTBL, missing the services of Saeed Ajmal and Haris Sohail, brilliantly chased down a rather stiff target of 156 with two balls to spare.

Babar, a cousin of the Akmal brothers, smashed the second ball of the final over delivered by ex-international Samiullah Khan Niazi for a six when eight runs were required from five balls. The talented right-hander, who normally opens the innings, showed remarkable patience all the way during his 54-ball knock which featured six boundaries and three sixes.

The left-handed Hussain provided excellent support with 37 in a 40-ball that included three fours and one six. But it was Babar who made the difference with his audacious batting after left-handed opener Sharjeel Khan had made up for captain Imran Nazir’s first-ball dismissal with a stroke-filled 32 off 23 balls (five fours and one six).

Imran — the former Pakistan opener who was handicapped by an injured left-hand — offered a simple catch to his SNGPL counterpart Taufiq Umar at midwicket on the bowling of occasional spinner Khurram Shehzad.

SNGPL, who were depleted by forced absence of Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal and Asad Ali who are currently on national duty in the West Indies, collected 155-6 after being put into bat by ZTBL.Ali Waqas was their main scorer with a run-a-ball knock of 41.

The left-hander was run out after striking four boundaries and one six. Among other batsmen, Taufiq contributed 23 off 22 balls (two fours), Khurram (20 off 16, three boundaries) and Imran Khalid blasted 26 from only 12 deliveries with the aid of three fours and a brace of sixes.

Veteran seamer Rehan Riaz, brother-in-law of the suspended PCB chief Zaka Ashraf, was the best of ZTBL bowlers with figures of two for 26. Discarded Pakistan left-arm paceman Mohammad Khalil took one for 23 from his four overs.

At the time of filing this report, ZTBL were due to face Port Qasim Authority — the winners over National Bank of Pakistan in the opening Group ‘B’ tie on Saturday — late on Monday night.

Scoreboard SUI NORTHERN GAS PIPELINES LIMITED: Azeem Ghumman c Tahir b Rehan 10 Taufiq Umar c Kashif b Rehan 23 Azhar Ali run out 16 Ali Waqas run out 41 Khurram Shehzad b Tahir 20 Imran Khalid lbw b Khalil 26 Raza Ali Dar not out 4 Bilawal Bhatti not out 1 EXTRAS (LB-3, W-7, NB-4) 14 TOTAL (for six wkts, 20 overs) 155 FALL OF WKTS: 1-15, 2-42, 3-68, 4-105, 5-141, 6-150. DID NOT BAT: Adnan Akmal, Yasir Shah, Samiullah Khan Niazi. BOWLING: Mohammad Khalil 4-0-23-1 (1w); Rehan Riaz 4-0-26-2 (1nb); Kashif Daud 4-0-36-0 (1nb, 1w); Tahir Mahmood 4-0-30-1; Zafar Gohar 2-0-17-0 (1w); Hussain Talat 2-0-20-0. ZARAI TARAQIATI BANK LIMITED: Sharjeel Khan b Bilawal 32 Imran Nazir c Taufiq b Khurram 0 Babar Azam not out 77 Hussain Talat not out 37 EXTRAS (LB-2, W-6) 10 TOTAL (for two wkts, 19.4 overs) 156 FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-44. DID NOT BAT: Atif Ashraf, Shakeel Ansar, Zafar Gohar, Kashif Daud, Mohammad Khalil, Tahir Mahmood, Rehan Riaz. BOWLING: Khurram Shehzad 4-0-28-1 (1w); Samiullah Khan Niazi 3.4-0-32-0 (1w); Bilawal Bhatti 4-1-27-1; Yasir Shah 4-0-22-0 (1w); Imran Khalid 3-0-30-0 (1w); Raza Ali Dar 1-0-15-0. RESULT: Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited won by eight wickets. UMPIRES: Ghaffar Kazmi and Zameer Haider. TV UMPIRE: Saqib Khan. MATCH REFEREE: Nadeem Arshad. MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Babar Azam. TUESDAY’S FIXTURE: NBP v KRL (10:30pm).