KARACHI, Feb 6: Habib Bank survived a scare before pulling off a penultimate ball two-wicket victory over KRL in the Patron’s Cup Group ‘A’ on Monday. Chasing 257, the bankers lost five wickets for 13 runs after ex-Test opener Taufiq Umar (84 off 100 balls, six fours) and Farhan Adil (47 off 60) had put on 106 for the third wicket.

But tail-enders Abdul Rahman (32 off 30, two sixes and two fours) and Danish Kaneria (16) added 40 priceless runs for eighth-wicket to revive the bankers’ victory prospects.

Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal bowled well to finish with four for 35 in 10 overs.

Earlier, KRL made 256 in 49.5 overs. Saeed Anwar hit six fours in scoring 54 off 90 balls while Saeed bin Nasir blasted 60 off 55 balls with three sixes and as many fours.

Scoreboard

KRL:

Mohammad Wasim c Kamran b Kaneria 21

Saeed Anwar c Farhan b Junaid 54

Alamgir Khan c Humayun b Junaid 8

Abdur Rauf c Sajid b Junaid 14

Mohammad Farrukh c Taufiq b Kaneria 15

Saeed bin Nasir c Hasan b A. Rahman 60

Mohammad Asif c Kamran b Taufiq 33

Shahbaz Butt st Humayun b Kaneria 15

Shahzad Butt not out 13

Ali Raza c Kamran b A. Rahman 1

Saeed Ajmal c Hasan b A. Rahman 0

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-5, W-12, NB-1) 22

TOTAL (all out, 49.5 overs) 256

FALL OF WKTS: 1-56, 2-81, 3-111, 4-113, 5-167, 6-211, 7-240, 8-242, 9-251.

BOWLING: Sajid Shah 10-0-44-0 (1nb, 7w); Kamran Hussain 4-0-25-0; Danish Kaneria 10-1-45-3 (2w); Junaid Zia 9-0-33-3 (2w); Abdul Rahman 9.5-0-43-3; Taufiq Umar 5-0-37-1; Hasan Raza 2-0-20-0.

HABIB BANK:

Riffatullah b Saeed Ajmal 37

Taufiq Umar c S. Anwar b Saeed Ajmal 84

Aftab Khan b S. Anwar 2

Farhan Adil c and b Farrukh 47

Hasan Raza c S. Anwar b Farrukh 1

Humayun Farhat run out 8

Kamran Hussain b Saeed Ajmal 0

Abdul Rahman not out 32

Danish Kaneria c Farrukh b Saeed Ajmal 16

Junaid Zia not out 2

EXTRAS (LB-9, W-13, NB-6) 28

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 49.5 overs) 257

FALL OF WKTS: 1-78, 2-85, 3-191, 4-191, 5-203, 6-204, 7-204, 8-244.

DID NOT BAT: Sajid Shah.

BOWLING: Abdur Rauf 4-0-30-0 (2nb, 2w); Shahzad Butt 5.5-1-35-0; Saeed Ajmal 10-0-35-4; Saeed Anwar 10-0-43-1 (2w); Alamgir Khan 8-0-46-0 (4w); Ali Raza 2.2-0-23-0 (4nb, 1w); Mohammad Farrukh 9.4-0-36-2 (1w).

UMPIRES: Afzaal Ahmed and Riazuddin.

MATCH REFEREE: Naeem Ahmed.