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KARACHI, Dec 23: Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal spurred Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) to a two-day victory over a pathetic Pakistan Customs side in the Patron’s Trophy Pool ‘A’ fixture at UBL Sports Complex on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old from Faisalabad grabbed six for 26 as Customs were bundled out for 156 in their second innings after conceding a lead of 178 on the first, thus handing KRL an innings and 28-run win.
Customs, who made 95 in the first innings on Monday, are facing serious problems this season as the unit looks a disjointed lot. This was their second straight loss, following their debacle against Wapda in Hyderabad last week when they mustered only 94 in the second knock.
KRL, on the other hand, are gradually emerging as serious contenders for a place in next month’s final. After defeating PIA by three wickets at the same venue in the last round, KRL never allowed Customs to dictate terms because of excellent team work.
This camaraderie was demonstrated on Tuesday as the last three wickets added as many as 158 to the overnight total of 121 for seven. Zulfiqar Jan, the tall wicket-keeper/batsman, played a sterling role by contributing 83 before being last out at 279.
Zulfiqar, whose 170-ball innings contained 11 fours and a six, found an able partner in Faisal Afridi as the pair added 78 priceless runs for the eighth wicket in 67 minutes. Faisal struck seven boundaries in contributing 44.
Not to be outdone, Mohammad Asif (22) and Saeed Ajmal (12 not out) helped Zulfiqar put on a further 86 runs for the final two wickets.
Scoreboard
PAKISTAN CUSTOMS (1st Innings) 95 (Yasir Arafat 4-25).
KRL (1st Innings, overnight 121-7):
Ali Naqvi c Ruwait b Imran 0
Mohammad Ramzan b Kamran 51
Saeed Anwar Jr c Aamir b Imran 0
Intikhab Alam c Fawwad b Kamran 11
Imran Sadaqat c Kashif b Atif 4
Yasir Arafat c Kashif b Atif 20
Zulfiqar Jan lbw b Shahid 83
Azhar Ali c Aamir b Atif 8
Faisal Afridi c Naseem b Shahid 44
Mohammad Asif b Aamir 22
Saeed Ajmal not out 14
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-1, W-3, NB-14) 22
TOTAL (all out, 86 overs) 279
FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-0, 3-61, 4-79, 5-94, 6-109, 7-121, 8-193, 9-239.
BOWLING: Imran Ali 21-5-73-2 (7nb); Uzair-ul-Haq 5-0-22-0 (1w); Kamran Hussain 12-6-17-2 (5nb); Shahid Mahmood 11-0-49-2 (2nb, 1w); Atif Maqbool 29-7-84-3 (1w); Fawwad Alam 2-0-18-0; Aamir Bashir 6-1-11-1.
PAKISTAN CUSTOMS (2nd Innings):
Kashif Siddique c Zulfiqar b Ali 15
Ruwait Khan c Ali b Asif 30
Naseem Khan c Saeed Ajmal b Asif 10
Aamir Bashir b Yasir 31
Kamran Hussain c Ali b Saeed Ajmal 24
Fawwad Alam b Saeed Ajmal 1
Hanif Malik c Asif b Saeed Ajmal 3
Atif Maqbool st Zulfiqar b Saeed Ajmal 12
Shahid Mahmood c Asif b Saeed Ajmal 4
Imran Ali c Ramzan b Saeed Ajmal 9
Uzair-ul-Haq not out 0
EXTRAS (B-3, LB-6, W-1, NB-7) 17
TOTAL (all out, 41.3 overs) 156
FALL OF WKTS: 1-37, 2-50, 3-72, 4-115, 5-124, 6-127, 7-132, 8-143, 9-156.
BOWLING: Mohammad Asif 12-3-48-2 (4nb, 1w); Yasir Arafat 11-2-57-1 (3nb); Ali Naqvi 6-2-16-1; Saeed Ajmal 12.3-2-26-6.
RESULT: KRL won by an innings and 28 runs.
UMPIRES: Islam Khan and Ijaz Ahmed.
MATCH REFEREE: Munawwar Agha.
