KARACHI: Karachi Blues clinched a clinical nine-wicket victory against Sialkot on Monday to set up a date with Multan in the final of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-II Cricket Tournament.

Karachi Blues wrapped up the semi-final fixture at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad just before lunch to qualify for the four-day title-decider against Multan at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.

Multan went through on the basis of their huge 258-run lead on the first innings against Faisalabad in the other semi-final which petered out in a tame draw at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

Sialkot were bowled out for 158 in their second innings after starting the day on 116-6. Mohammad Kamran slammed five boundaries and a six in making 31 from 53 balls.

Fawad Alam claimed two of the wickets to fall on Monday to finish with figures of 3-5 in eight overs of left-arm spin. Sohail Khan didn’t add to his tally before ending up with 3-71. The Pakistan fast bowler returned match haul of eight for 124 besides playing a sensational innings of 140 not out to lift Karachi Blues from 62-7 to 227 in their first innings.

Faced with a meagre chase of 43, Karachi Blues lost Pakistan opener Khurram Manzoor for 15 before Mohtashim Ali (11) and skipper Asad Shafiq (17) completed the last rites.

Faisalabad, meanwhile, put up a much-improved batting effort to reach 378-5 in their second innings which they resumed at 83-0.

Openers Iftikhar Ahmed and Ali Rafiq both completed centuries while sharing a partnership of 199 in 210 minutes. Iftikhar scored 104 off 162 balls with the aid of 17 boundaries until he was trapped leg-before by seamer Rizwan Haider.

Ali fell to left-arm paceman Zia-ul-Haq after making 115 in a stay of 279 minutes. He laced his 205-ball knock with 15 fours. Atif Manzoor struck 10 fours while contributing 62 off 102 deliveries.

Test spinner Zulfiqar Babar had a marathon stint of 40 overs during which claimed only two wickets for 146 runs.

The champion side in the final, starting on Thursday, would to play in the first-class Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship next season.

Scores and results on Monday (final day of three):

Semi-finals:

At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: Match drawn.

FAISALABAD 107 in 32 overs (Asif Ali 36; Majid Ali 3-26, Zulfiqar Babar 2-12, Rizwan Haider 2-19) and 378-5 in 101 overs (Ali Rafiq 115, Iftikhar Ahmed 104, Atif Manzoor 62, Fahim Ashraf 29 not out, Usman Arshad 19, Asif Ali 17; Zulfiqar Babar 2-146); MULTAN 365-9 in 83 overs (Kashif Naved 133 not out, Abdul Rehman Muzammil 119, Sohaib Maqsood 22, Imran Rafiq 19, Shahzad Ali 17; Asif Ali 4-26, Asad Ali 3-81).

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: Karachi Blues beat Sialkot by nine wickets.

SIALKOT 111 in 42.2 overs (Abdul Rehman 20, Nauman Anwar 13; Sohail Khan 5-53, Mir Hamza 2-11) and 158 in 59.2 overs (Ali Khan 35, Salman Ali 33, Mohammad Kamran 31, Naeemuddin 22; Fawad Alam 3-5, Sohail Khan 3-71, Mir Hamza 2-21); KARACHI BLUES 227 in 66 overs (Sohail Khan 140 not out, Khurram Manzoor 34; Mohammad Asif 3-46, Mohammad Abbas 3-56, Mohammad Kamran 2-35) and 45-1 in 7.2 overs (Asad Shafiq 17 not out, Khurram Manzoor 15).

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2016