KARACHI, Feb 6: The penultimate round of Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Gold League Cricket Championship begins from Wednesday with Karachi Urban taking on Sialkot in a bid to consolidate their position as group leaders.

Both teams ran out decisive winners in their respective previous matches in the previous round. But Karachi Urban face a tough task to maintain their lead because they will by playing the defending champions in the unfamiliar environment of Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot.

Karachi Harbour, who are currently in fifth spot, have a chance of catching up the leaders as they host sixth-placed Faisalabad here at the National Stadium.

Rawalpindi, meanwhile, wind up their campaign when they visit Lahore Shalimar at the LCCA Ground in Lahore. After their resounding drubbing at the hands of Karachi Urban, Rawalpindi still have an outside hope of reaching the Feb 19-23 final if they are claiming all nine points and then expect other results to go their way.

Meanwhile, the five-day Silver League final also begins from Wednesday with Islamabad taking on Multan at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Islamabad, who finished undefeated at the league stage, will have to do without their regular skipper Rao Iftikhar and influential all-rounder Azhar Mahmood. Both have been asked to join the injury-hit Pakistan squad in South Africa.

Azhar scored 391 runs (ave 78.20) and claimed 26 wickets (ave 18.26) in four matches for the capital side. Medium-pacer Rao Iftikhar captured 23 wickets at 17.17.

Schedule (Feb 7-10):

Gold League: Karachi Harbour v Faisalabad at National Stadium, Karachi; Sialkot v Karachi Urban at Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot; Lahore Shalimar v Rawalpindi at LCCA Ground, Lahore.

Silver League final (Feb 7-11): Islamabad v Multan at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Standings