KARACHI: The experienced Habib Bank Limited (HBL) cashed in on the lack of common sense that Pakistan Television (PTV) demonstrated to pull off a remarkable victory which catapulted them into the Quaid-i-Azam One-day Cup final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday.

The second semi-final not just offered a huge contrast to Thursday’s lackadaisical encounter, easily poached by Salman Butt’s Wapda side against the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), but also provided great entertainment to a handful of spectators. The fortunes fluctuated throughout the hazy day before successive run-outs finally decided the issue in HBL’s favour by just seven runs to set a date with last season’s runners-up in Sunday’s title-decider.

The charged-up atmosphere in the closing stages of this pulsating knockout fixture was something quite emotional on the day when Imam-ul-Haq returned from injury with a lovely knock of 85 that not only proved his fitness but also earned the left-handed opener a place in the Pakistan squad for next week’s ODI series against New Zealand — 22 days after fracturing the small finger of his left hand while fielding on the last day of the drawn Dubai Test against Australia.

The calm expression on the face of HBL head coach Saleem Jaffer was unsurprising even with PTV on course for victory given his good-natured personality both as a Pakistan fast bowler in the late 1980s and later as a national selector, as his team made to their second final in three years.

His PTV counterpart Mohammad Wasim, the stylish right-hander who marked his Test debut with a memorable century against New Zealand at the same venue in 1996, was understandably heartbroken after his charges failed to make the title-decider for the second season running.

A fortuitous hundred from the 20-year-old Ali Imran provided PTV an electrifying start in their pursuit of 322 runs. Dropped on 35 and 70 by Imam and Umar Gul, the right-hander only managed to his second one-day ton when Khurram Shahzad dropped a sitter at square leg.

At that stage PTV were the obvious favourites when Ali reached the coveted milestone from just 61 deliveries with the aid of 14 boundaries and two sixes while lifting his side to 140-2 after having already dominated a rollicking first-wicket partnership of 130 with Nihal Mansoor (36 off 53 balls, three fours and one six) inside the opening 18 overs.

Ali departed shortly afterwards for a 65-ball 102 when he got a leading edge and provided Imran Farhat an easy chance in the covers.

HBL needed wickets in a cluster and got three with the dismissal of Ali. Mohammad Waqas (43 off 47, three sixes and two fours) and skipper Hasan Mohsin (23 off 34, two boundaries) added 51 both of them were out in the same Khurram over.

But PTV were not giving in, just yet as Ali Khan (41 off 38, three fours and one six) and ex-Pakistan stalwart Abdul Razzaq, who hit four fours in making 24 off 25 balls, put on 37 before Mohammad Irfan banged an 18-ball 26 (two fours and one six) in another vital stand of 52 with Ali.

However, HBL pulled back things brilliantly when it mattered most to put PTV on the back foot.

Earlier, the first half of the game was almost a replica as Imam and Jamal Anwar stitched together an opening partnership of 148 in 28.5 overs before Imam’s 93-ball innings, featuring six fours and one six, was terminated by seamer Azharullah .

Umar Akmal looked in fine touch with a 24-ball 39 (four fours and two sixes) until he was undone by probably the ball of the tournament. A curling leg-break from Irfan completely bamboozled the Pakistan discard as it spun sharply passed the bat to hit the top of the off stump in a reminiscent of many Shane Warne dismissals during the Australian legend’s glittering international career.

Jamal, fresh from a maiden one-day century in the quarter-final against SSGCL, was tragically run out by a direct hit at the non-striker end from Ali Imran while attempting a second run for Imran Farhat. The wicket-keeper compiled 88 from 111 balls with the aid of eight fours and one six.

That HBL crossed the 300-run barrier was chiefly due to the pyrotechnics of Zohaib Khan, who marked his 100th List-A appearance with a priceless 20-ball cameo of 37 not out (two sixes and two fours).

Scoreboard

HABIB BANK LIMITED:

Imam-ul-Haq c Taimur b Azharullah 85
Jamal Anwar run out 88
Umar Akmal b Irfan 39
Imran Farhat c Razzaq b Raza 24
Agha Salman c Azharullah b Irfan 1
Ramiz Aziz c Taimur b Tabish 9
Zohaib Khan not out 37
Amad Butt c Hasan b Tabish 2
Abdur Rehman b Azharullah 12
Umar Gul not out 12

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-8, W-3) 12

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 321

FALL OF WKTS: 1-148, 2-215, 3-222, 4-234, 5-255, 6-257, 7-268, 287.

DID NOT BAT: Khurram Shahzad.

BOWLING: Tabish Khan 10-0-62-2; Azharullah 9-0-68-2 (2w); Raza Hasan 10-0-58-1; Hasan Mohsin 5-0-29-0; Mohammad Irfan 10-0-50-2 (1w); Ali Imran 3-0-17-0; Abdul Razzaq 3-0-28-0.

PAKISTAN TELEVISION:

Nihal Mansoor b Amad 36
Ali Imran c Imran b Salman 102
Taimur Khan b Zohaib 0
M. Waqas c Umar Gul b Khurram 43
Hasan Mohsin b Khurram 23
Ali Khan lbw b Amad 41
Abdul Razzaq c Umar Akmal b Rehman 24
Mohammad Irfan c Imam b Umar Gul 26
Raza Hasan run out 7
Tabish Khan not out 2
Azharullah run out 6

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-1, W-1) 4

TOTAL (all out, 49.4 overs) 314

FALL OF WKTS: 1-130, 2-131, 3-155, 4-206, 5-207, 6-244, 7-296, 8-300, 9-307.

BOWLING: Umar Gul 10-0-62-1; Khurram Shahzad 8-0-65-2; Abdur Rehman 8-0-59-1; Amad Butt 9.4-0-51-2 (1w); Zohaib Khan 8-1-38-1; Agha Salman 6-1-36-1.

RESULT: Habib Bank Limited won by seven runs.

UMPIRES: Ahmed Shahab and Zameer Haider.

TV UMPIRE: Qaiser Waheed.

MATCH REFEREE: Mohammad Anees.

FINAL: Wapda vs HBL (Sunday, 9:00am).

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2018