KARACHI, Feb 11: Test discard Taufiq Umar sent out an emphatic reminder to the national selectors with a glorious unbeaten 140 as Habib Bank eased to a five-wicket win over SNGPL in the Patron’s Cup match on Saturday.

The left-handed Taufiq, who has been out of favour since the tour to India last year, was in sublime touch and struck 14 fours and one six during his 150-ball innings.

Thanks to Taufiq’s brilliant display, Habib Bank chalked up their third successive victory in Group ‘A’ and are now almost assured of reaching next week’s semifinals.

SNGPL never came to terms with the slow UBL Sports Complex pitch and bowled out for 224 in the final over after Hasan Raza invited them to bat first.

Former Test opener Mohammad Hafeez stood out for SNGPL with a fine 60 off 65 deliveries while striking seven boundaries.

Scoreboard

SNGPL:

Mohammad Hafeez c Khaqan b Junaid 60

Sufyan Munir c Kaneria b Kamran 17

Sohail Idrees lbw b Shahid 5

Misbahul Haq lbw b Kamran 5

Arsalan Mir c Taufiq b Kaneria 11

Saleem Mughal c Hasan b A. Rahman 27

Mohammad Salman c Aftab b Hasan 19

Imran Khalid c Shahid b Taufiq 28

Tariq Mahmood run out 9

Asad Ali c Junaid b Kaneria 22

Samiullah Niazi not out 6

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-4, W-2, NB-8) 15

TOTAL (all out, 49.1 overs) 224

FALL OF WKTS: 1-27, 2-36, 3-51, 4-72, 5-116, 6-154, 7-160, 8-172, 9-211.

BOWLING: Shahid Nazir 6-0-25-1 (1nb); Kamran Hussain 7-0-40-2 (4nb); Danish Kaneria 9.1-1-26-2 (1nb); Junaid Zia 8-0-36-1 (1w); Abdul Rahman 10-0-39-1; Hasan Raza 6-0-27-1; Taufiq Umar 3-0-26-1.

HABIB BANK:

Riffatullah c Misbah b Sami 21

Taufiq Umar not out 140

Hasan Raza lbw b Imran 6

Farhan Adil c Sohail b Tariq 13

Khaqan Arsal c Salman b Asad 22

Abdul Rahman c Tariq b Imran 7

Danish Kaneria not out 6

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-7, NB-1) 10

TOTAL (for five wkts, 45.4 overs) 225

FALL OF WKTS: 1-73, 2-87, 3-120, 4-184, 5-212.

DID NOT BAT: Humayun Farhat, Kamran Hussain, Junaid Zia, Shahid Nazir.

BOWLING: Samiullah Niazi 8-1-37-1 (2w); Asad Ali 10-0-71-1 (4w); Mohammad Hafeez 8.4-0-31-0 (1w); Imran Khalid 9-0-36-2 Tariq Mahmood 10-0-48-1.

RESULT: Habib Bank won by five wickets.

UMPIRES: Riazuddin and Rasheed Bhatti.

MATCH REFEREE: Anwer Khan.