KARACHI: Discarded Test opener Sami Aslam turned on the power with a swashbuckling knock of 169 as Federal Areas kept alive hopes of reaching the Cool & Cool presents QMobile Pakistan Cup final with a remarkable win over Balochistan in Rawalpindi late on Wednesday night.

Set a daunting target of 376, Federal Areas put up a dazzling bating exhibition on belter of a pitch at the Pindi Cricket Stadium to amass 378-6 and sealed victory by four wickets with 16 deliveries to spare, while also bring an end to Balochistan’s unbeaten run in the competition.

Balochistan, however, are already through to the title-deciding fixture on Saturday after winning their first three fixtures. Hence, they opted to rest three regulars — Saad Ali, Ghulam Mudassar and Khalid Usman — and included batsman Taimur Khan and paceman Hamal Wahab as well as Pakistan T20 specialist Sohail Tanvir in the playing XI.

The inexperienced bowling attack was put to the sword as the 21-year-old Sami anchored the chase with breathtaking stroke-play and easily notched his highest one-day score among his seven hundreds as the left-hander slammed 17 fours and five sixes.

When Sami departed, dismissed by Sohail Tanvir, Federal Areas were just 45 runs away from an incredible result in their favour with plenty of deliveries available in a match that collectively produced 753 runs for the loss of 13 wickets in 97.2 overs.

The veteran Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez guided the youngster as the pair added 147 in 111 balls after Abid Ali had been caught behind for 2 in the second over of the innings.

Hafeez hit eight boundaries and two sixes in making 68 from 54 balls before off-spinner Agha Salman got rid of the 36-year-old. Federal Areas then were jolted by the quick dismissal of the in-form Haris Sohail for a brace but Zohaib Ahmed (34 off 31 balls, three fours and one six) helped man-of-the-match Sami put on 90 in only 63 balls to their team back on course.

Captain Imad Wasim took control of the situation from thereon. The left-handed Pakistan all-rounder spanked five fours and three sixes in a 49-ball 69 while Sohail Khan provided good support with an 11-ball 22 when the skipper finished off the game with a six and a four on successive deliveries off paceman Azizullah.

Earlier on Wednesday Balochis­tan rode on skipper Fakhar Zaman’s lovely innings of 104 to post 375-7 in their 50 overs.

Scoreboard

BALOCHISTAN:

Fakhar Zaman c Hassaan b Imad 104 Sahibzada Farhan c Sohail b Irfan 54 Sohaib Maqsood c Ehsan b Irfan 42 Agha Salman c Abid b Ehsan 52 Taimur Khan c Haris b Sohail 42 Aamir Yamin c Sami b Sohail 8 Rameez Aziz not out 39 Sohail Tanvir c Irfan b Ehsan 5 Bismillah Khan not out 20

EXTRAS (LB-5, W-4) 9

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 375

FALL OF WKTS: 1-119, 2-188, 3-225, 4-296, 5-307, 6-312, 7-320.

DID NOT BAT: Azizullah, Hamal Wahab.

BOWLING: Imad Wasim 10-1-35-1; Sohail Khan 9-0-83-2 (1w); Mohammad Hafeez 7-0-51-0; Ehsan Adil 8-0-80-2 (3w); Hassaan Khan 9-0-63-0; Mohammad Irfan 7-0-58-2.

FEDERAL AREAS:

Sami Aslam c Fakhar b Sohail 169 Abid Ali c Bismillah b Aamir 4 Mohammad Hafeez c Sohaib b Salman 68 Haris Sohail c Farhan b Rameez 2 Zohaib Ahmed c sub b Rameez 34 Imad Wasim not out 69 Hussain Talat c Farhan b Azizullah 2 Sohail Khan not out 22

EXTRAS (W-7, NB-1) 9

TOTAL (for six wkts, 47.2 overs) 378

FALL OF WKTS: 1-6, 2-153, 3-171, 4-261, 5-330, 6-334.

DID NOT BAT: Hassaan Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Ehsan Adil.

BOWLING: Sohail Tanvir 9-0-50-1 (1w); Aamir Yamin 5.3-0-50-1 (1w); Azizullah 8.2-0-0-70-1 (1w); Hamal Wahab 5-0-51-0 (1nb, 1w); Fakhar Zaman 5-0-40-0 (1w); Agha Salman 8-0-79-1 (1w); Rameez Aziz 6.3-0-38-2 (1w).

RESULT: Federal Areas won by four wickets.

UMPIRES: Khalid Mahmood and Shozab Raza.

TV UMPIRE: Asif Yaqoob.

MATCH REFEREE: Aziz-ur-Rehman.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Sami Aslam.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2017