KARACHI: A brilliant 171 not out from Asif Zakir on Sunday revived Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC)’s hopes of reaching Silver League final of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship after a stunning comeback against Habib Bank in Mirpur.

In the other semi-final at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot, both Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) were engaged in a fascinating battle to decide the qualifiers for the Dec 3-7 title-decider with just Monday’s last day to go in both the semi-finals.

SSGC had their backs to the wall when they resumed at 91-3 in reply to Habib Bank’s 417 at the Mirpur Cricket Stadium. They lost night-watchman Mohammad Irfan after just a run was added to the overnight score before Saifullah Kan Bangash was also gone with the total on 124.

But Mohammad Waqas then arrived to partner Asif in a defiant partnership of 82 in 96 minutes when Kamran Hussain sent back Waqas (34 off 78 balls, five boundaries).

Asif, who had completed his 13th first-class century, then found tremendous support from veteran all-rounder Tariq Haroon as the two of them carried the total from 206-6 to 339-6. Their unbroken stand is worth 133 so far.

Asif’s 314-ball effort includes 25 boundaries while Tariq has 52 to his name with the aid of four fours.

Habib Bank were handicapped by the loss of strike bowler Umar Gul who had to pull of the ongoing match since he was asked to join the Pakistan ODI and T20 squads in the UAE for the upcoming matches against New Zealand.

State Bank require another 94 runs on Monday to qualify for the final with four second-innings standing against PIA. The bankers, who are chasing 228, went to stumps on the penultimate day of the four-day fixture at 134-5 after they were reduced to 60-4.

Skipper Usman Salahuddin (36 not out) and wicket-keeper Maqbool Ahmed (35) lifted them out of deep trouble by sharing a partnership of 72 before Maqbool provided paceman Ali Imran Pasha with his fifth successive wicket of the innings.

Earlier, PIA added 92 to their Saturday’s second-innings tally of 187-5 before they were dismissed for 279. Fahad Iqbal, overnight 67, was denied a century by seven runs when he was caught and bowled by Zahoor Khan for 93 (169 balls, 11 fours).

Paceman Rizwan Haider grabbed five wickets for 101 runs in 28 overs during PIA’s second innings to end up match haul of 11 for 158 in 44.1 overs.

Close of play scores on Sunday (day three of four):

Semi-finals:

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: PIA 120 in 33.1 overs (Shoaib Khan 22; Rizwan Haider 6-57, Zahoor Khan 4-35) and 279 in 77.1 overs (Fahad Iqbal 93, Shaharyar Ghani 37, Ali Imran Pasha 25, Shoaib Khan 21, Anwar Ali 21; Rizwan Haider 5-101, Zafar Gohar 3-28, Zahoor Khan 2-89); STATE BANK 172 in 53 overs (Naved Yasin 55 not out, Aamir Yamin 40, Mukhtar Ahmed 33; Ali Imran Pasha 4-40, Anwar Ali 3-48, Najaf Shah 3-55) and 134-5 in 47 overs (Usman Salahuddin 36 not out, Maqbool Ahmed 35; Ali Imran Pasha 5-38).

At Mirpur Cricket Stadium, Mirpur: HABIB BANK 417 in 121.3 overs (Rameez Aziz 169, Kamran Hussain 40, Hasan Raza 37, Abdur Rehman 28, Fahad Masood 21; Atif Maqbool 3-94, Mohammad Irfan 2-49, Nasir Malik 2-69, Tariq Haroon 2-87); SSGC 339-6 in 102 overs (Asif Zakir 171 not out, Tariq Haroon 52 not out, Usman Tariq 35, Mohammad Waqas 34; Fahad Masood 3-62).

Published in Dawn, December 1st , 2014