KARACHI: After posting a commanding total of 486, Habib Bank Limited (HBL) took another giant stride to the final of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship at the halfway stage of the Super Eight clash against United Bank Limited (UBL).

Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) were also well placed to book their place in the title-deciding fixture after Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) struggled to 127-4 at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad.

On the docile NBP Sports Complex pitch, HBL just needed to bat UBL out of contention after resuming at 280-3. They did exactly that. Occupying the crease for another 93.4 overs to the utter frustration of their desperate rivals, they added 206 runs. Even the questionable dismissal of a well-set Imran Farhat failed to break the resolve of the HBL batsmen.

Imran, who began the day on 128, was declared leg-before-wicket to slow left-armer Mohammad Asghar after the Pakistan discard had reached 133 (272 balls, 14 fours and three sixes).

Rameez Aziz, the overnight batsman, also departed early when he was caught for 10 by Sohaib Maqsood to give the persevering fast bowler Mir Hamza a deserved third wicket.

Mohammad Waqas and Azeem Ghumman batted together for 96 minutes before the latter fell leg-before-wicket for 28 to Yasim Murtaza, the slow left-armer who turned his arm over for the first time in this game after 120 overs had been delivered.

Yasim then sent Waqas for a 122-ball 49 (eight boundaries). But the seasoned Abdur Rehman held firm to decisively dent UBL’s fading chances. The discarded Pakistan spinner thrived in his role as skipper to strike two massive sixes off Asghar over wide long-on, one of them landing on the road outside the ground.

Rehman was left stranded on 58 with his 116-ball knock also featuring five fours, while seeing the two men depart. Hamza finished with excellent return of 5-65 in 29.4 overs but Asghar toiled manfully in claiming 3-166 from 72 overs.

Off-spinner Junaid Ilyas must have wished staying home rather than answering an eleventh hour call to play here as he remained wicketless through his 40 overs while conceding 107 runs.

UBL skipper Shan Masood (8) and Umar Siddique (10) negotiated a few shouts from the overenthusiastic fielders to take their side to 16-0 at draw of stumps.

Left-arm paceman Waqas Maqsood jolted SSGC thrice to put Wapda firmly in control in the Group-I game in Hyderabad. He sent openers Zain Abbas (2), Ali Asad (0) in his opening burst before returning later to pick up the prized scalp of SSGC captain Fawad Alam (1).

Despite Awais Zia (49) and the in-form Asif Zakir (41 not out) putting on 78, SSGC were left struggling as they need another 227 to overhaul Wapda’s first-innings tally of 353.

Earlier, Wapda lost their last five wickets for the addition of 127 runs to their Saturday’s score of 226-5. Kamran Akmal made just 13 on Sunday before being bowled by Aamir Yamin for 144. The wicket-keeper/batsman’s 234-ball innings contained 12 fours.

Test spinner Zulfiqar Babar showed his prowess as a right-handed batsman with an invaluable contribution of 55 from 94 deliveries as he slammed four fours and one six, while sharing a 66-run stand for the ninth wicket with Waqas Maqsood (36 not out).

In the day-night inconsequential Group-I match at the National Stadium, Mohammad Hafeez bagged his first wicket after more than a year as dethroned champions Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) earned a 155-run lead on the first innings by dismissing Karachi Whites for 206.

Hafeez, who has been cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) a couple of days ago following a ban for suspect bowling action, claimed the last wicket to fall when he had Tabish Khan (12) caught by Khurram Shehzad on the penultimate delivery of his 20th over.

Barring Behram Khan (64 off 125 balls, eight fours and one six) and Faraz Ali (44 off 87, seven boundaries) who together added 86 for the third wicket, it was an abject batting performance from Karachi Whites.

Earlier, Tabish grabbed the remaining three wickets that SNGPL lost after beginning the afternoon at 339-7. The spirited fast bowler ended up magnificent analysis of 7-77 from 20 overs. Iftikhar Ahmed, who was batting on 172 on Saturday night, was caught behind for 181 (275 balls, 21 boundaries).

National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) secured a handy 43-run lead by posting 287 all out in response to Khan Research Laboratories (KRL)’s 244 at the UBL Sports Complex in the other Group-II game which is of only academic interest.

Rameez Raja led NBP onslaught with a 205-ball innings of 102 that included 14 fours and with great help from Naved Sarwar (83 off 163 balls, 10 fours) lift his team from 28-3 to 210-4 as the pair put on 182.

Seamers Ahmed Bashir (4-56) and Mohammad Abbas (3-47) along with slow left-armer Nauman Ali (3-84) shared the bowling honours for KRL who then faced one over in their second innings.

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

Super Eight stage third and final round:

Group-I:

At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad: WATER AND POWER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 353 in 137 overs (Kamran Akmal 144, Adnan Raees 57, Zulfiqar Babar 55, Waqas Maqsood 36; Zia-ul-Haq 3-61, Ahmed Jamal 2-33, Aamir Yamin 2-78); SUI SOUTHERN GAS COMPANY 127-4 in 41 overs (Awais Zia 49, Asif Zakir 41 not out; Waqas Maqsood 3-25).

At National Stadium, Karachi (day-night): SUI NORTHERN GAS PIPELINES LIMITED 361 in 98.2 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 181, Adnan Akmal 79, Khurram Shehzad 24, Abubakar Khan 22; Tabish Khan 7-77) and 13-0 in 3 overs; KARACHI WHITES 206 in 73.5 overs (Behram Khan 64, Faraz Ali 44, Hamza Ghanchi 23; Imran Ali 3-31, Mohammad Imran 2-57, Asad Ali 2-69, Mohammad Hafeez 1-46).

Group-II:

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: HABIB BANK LIMITED 486 in 183.4 overs (Imran Farhat 133, Imam-ul-Haq 129, Abdur Rehman 58 not out, Mohammad Waqas 49, Azeem Ghumman 28, Jamal Anwar 28; Mir Hamza 5-65, Mohammad Asghar 3-166, Yasim Murtaza 2-22); UNITED BANK LIMITED 20-0 in 6 overs.

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: KHAN RESEARCH LABORATORIES 244 in 84 overs (Usman Arshad 121, Mohammad Abbas 38, Luqman Butt 32, Shoaib Ahmed Minhas 20; Atif Jabbar 5-43, Mohammad Irfan 3-27) and 8-0 in 1 over; NATIONAL BANK OF PAKISTAN 287 in 85.1 overs (Rameez Raja 102, Naved Sarwar 83, Qaiser Abbas 20; Ahmed Bashir 4-56, Mohammad Abbas 3-47, Nauman Ali 3-84).

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2016