KARACHI, Nov 3: Balochistan finally registered their maiden victory in the RBS Pentangular Cup when they defeated defending champions Sindh by six wickets on the fourth and final day of the match here at the National Stadium on Monday.

Balochistan, who lost all their four matches last season, made up for their crushing innings and 236-run defeat against the NWFP in the first game last week in Quetta, sealed a thoroughly deserved win when Saeed bin Nasir disdainfully hoisted part-time spinner Fawad Alam over midwicket for a six, 53 minutes before the tea break after the visitors were set a target of 145 in 82 overs.

Saeed, the Karachi-based batsman, was the star performer for the second time in the match. After making a brilliant 89 in the first innings, he swiftly ended Sindh’s slim hopes of an unlikely win by hammering 44 off just 25 deliveries after Balochistan lost two quick wickets, including the prized scalp of skipper Misbah-ul-Haq for one.

Rameez Alam, who had been at the crease for some time, was a virtual spectator after Saeed joined him at 97 for four, still 50 runs away from victory. Saeed was particularly severe on Shahid Afridi, lifting the Pakistan all-rounder for a brace of sixes; the second strike went straight over the sightscreen at the University Road End.

Rameez remained unbeaten on 22, while Saeed’s 39-minute cameo included four fours besides those three sixes. Usman Tariq (33) and Saeed Anwar Jr (25) also played their part as they put on 47 for the second wicket.

Afridi and young paceman Anwar Ali, who went wicketless in the first innings, evenly shared the wickets.

Earlier, Saeed bin Nasir also excelled in the field by taking two catches off Abdur Rauf, who celebrated his inclusion in the Abu Dhabi-bound Pakistan squad, by sending back tail-enders Anwar Ali and Sohail Khan as the home team was dismissed for 380 after resuming at 364 for eight in the second innings.

Balochistan, who collected maximum (nine) points from this win, have a break of eight days before they play Punjab in Lahore from Nov 12.

In the meantime, Sindh, who have just two days to regroup for their next game — also against Punjab in Lahore — from Thursday, will miss the services of skipper Afridi, Fawad Alam and Khalid Latif for the remaining league round matches after the trio were picked in the national squad for the forthcoming one-day series against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi.

Scoreboard

SINDH (1st Innings) 126 (Naumanullah 47; Azharullah 4-32).

BALOCHISTAN (1st Innings) 362 (Saeed bin Nasir 89, Gulraiz Sadaf 84, Usman Tariq 50; Sohail Khan 4-66, Shahid Afridi 4-113).

SINDH (2nd Innings, overnight 364-8):

Khurram Manzoor c Usman b Kamran 4

Khalid Latif c Shoaib b Azhar 78

Naumanullah c Gulraiz b Kamran 6

Faisal Iqbal c Gulraiz b Kamran 1

Fawad Alam c Gulraiz b Azhar 68

Shahid Afridi c Saeed bin Nasir b Azhar 81

Rizwan Ahmed lbw b Kamran 28

Sarfraz Ahmed c Gulraiz b Kamran 57

Anwar Ali c Saeed bin Nasir b Rauf 8

Tanvir Ahmed not out 17

Sohail Khan c Saeed bin Nasir b Rauf 6

EXTRAS (B-6, LB-10, NB-10) 26

TOTAL (all out, 98.1 overs) 380

FALL OF WKTS: 1-32, 2-38, 3-50, 4-118, 5-

245, 6-250, 7-329, 8-348, 9-366.

BOWLING: Abdur Rauf 22.1-7-71-2 (5nb); Kamran Hussain 23-2-83-5 (4nb); Azharullah

18-3-76-3; Mohammad Irshad 7-2-30-0 (1nb); Saeed Anwar Jr 19-3-58-0; Usman Tariq 2-0-13-0; Shoaib Khan Jr 6-0-28-0; Misbah-ul-Haq 1-0-5-0.

BALOCHISTAN (2nd Innings):

Shoaib Khan Jr b Anwar 14

Usman Tariq c Sarfraz b Afridi 33

Saeed Anwar Jr lbw b Afridi 25

Rameez Alam not out 22

Misbah-ul-Haq c Sarfraz b Anwar 1

Saeed bin Nasir not out 44

EXTRAS (B-4, NB-4) 8

TOTAL (for four wkts, 33.2 overs) 147

FALL OF WKTS: 1-17, 2-62, 3-96, 4-97.

BOWLING: Sohail Khan 8-2-18-0; Anwar Ali 10-2-41-2; Tanvir Ahmed 2-0-7-0 (2nb); Shahid Afridi 11-0-58-2 (1nb); Fawad Alam 2.2-0-19-0.

RESULT: Balochistan won by six wickets.

UMPIRES: Mian Aslam and Iftikhar Malik.

MATCH REFEREE: Anwer Khan.