KARACHI, Feb 3: Karachi Whites, inspired by a skipper’s knock from Khalid Latif, staged a dramatic comeback to put themselves on course for an unexpected victory in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship fixture against Wapda at the National Stadium here on Tuesday.

Wapda closed at 99-7 in their second innings after being set a modest target of 170 with opening bowlers Tanvir Ahmed (3-37) and Malik Aftab (3-21) doing the damage.

Having conceded a first-innings lead of 93 runs, Karachi Whites were just nine runs in front at the start of the third day’s play. However, the hosts added 160 to their overnight 102-4 before they were all out for 262 in the second innings.

Khalid, who batted lower down in the order after remaining off the field for a considerable period after feeling ill during Wapda’s first innings on Monday, hit 12 boundaries in scoring 81 after coming to the crease at 114-6. Useful contributions from Tanvir and wicket-keeper Adnan Baig, both making 35 each, helped Karachi Whites’ cause.

KRL, meanwhile, were poised for victory over PIA at the Mirpur Cricket Stadium in AJK thanks to Pakistan all-rounder Sohail Tanvir. After taking career-best 8-54 in the first innings, Sohail captured seven for 120 in PIA’s second innings of 248 to end up with match haul of 15 for 174. Needing 126 for victory, KRL were 74-2 at stumps on day three.

In a Group ‘B’ match, Abbottabad raced to a 10-wicket win against Quetta in Islamabad.

Karachi Blues extended their game against Rawalpindi into the final after batting all day to reach 297-6 in their second innings at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi with Shahzaib Hasan (95) and Shaharyar Ghani (74) playing substantial knocks. The visitors, who were forced to follow-on, now have a lead of 142 runs.

Our Sports Reporter adds from Lahore: Reigning champions SNGPL completed a resounding innings and 199 runs over the SSGC at the Sheikhupura Stadium.

After declaring at 494-6 to obtain a huge first-innings lead of 359, the SNGPL bundled out their opponents for 160 in the second innings.

SNGPL’s Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan vice-captain failed to add to his overnight score of 247.

Nbp were on verge of victory after ZTBL limped to 87-5 in pursuit of a mammoth target of 437 at the Gaddafi Stadium after the bankers’ Pakistan opener Salman Butt doubled his overnight tally of 101 to help his side declared their second innings at 358-6. Salman scored 202 off 226 balls.

Scores and results on Tuesday (day three of four):

Group ‘A:

At National Stadium, Karachi: KARACHI WHITES 133 in 44 overs (Ali Asad 67 not out; Kashif Raza 5-44) and 262 in 76.2 overs (Khalid Latif 81; Azharullah 4-83); WAPDA 226 in 86.4 overs (Jahangir Mirza 77, Ahmed Said 63; Tanvir Ahmed 6-77) and 99-7 in 35 overs (Bilal Khilji 41 not out).

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: NATIONAL BANK 225 in 66.3 overs (Naumanullah 56, Qaiser Abbas 55; Rao Iftikhar 4-56) and 358-6 declared in 80.2 overs (Salman Butt 202, Fawad Alam 58); ZTBL 147 in 42.4 overs (Mohammad Aamir 4-44, Mohammad Talha 4-53) and 89-5 in 36 overs (Mohammad Talha 4-34).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: PAKISTAN CUSTOMS 325 in 86.3 overs (Rameez Raja 87, Zahoor Elahi 81; Ghulam Mustafa 6-97, Mohammad Naveed 4-120) and 167-3 in 37 overs (Mohammad Hussain 50 not out); LAHORE SHALIMAR 360 in 120.2 overs (Abid Ali 114, Raza Ali Dar 80, Ahmed Dar 73; Yasir Hussain 7-91).

At Mirpur Stadium, Azad Jammu Kashmir: PIA 152 in 53.5 overs (Sohail Tanvir 8-54) and 248 in 83.4 overs (Faisal Iqbal 52; Sohail Tanvir 7-120); KRL 275 in 74.5 overs (Saeed Anwar Jr 89, Sohail Tanvir 52 not out; Najaf Shah 5-103) and 74-2 in 19 overs.

At Sheikhupura Stadium: SNGPL beat SSGC by an innings and 199 runs.

SSGC 135 in 49.5 overs (Imran Ali 5-31) and 160 in 47.5 overs (Asif Zakir 55 not out, Ahmed Zeeshan Malik 52); SNGPL 494-6 declared in 118.5 overs (Misbah-ul-Haq 247, Mohammad Hafeez 142, Khurram Shahzad 50).

Group ‘B’:

At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad: ISLAMABAD 258 in 74.3 overs (Rauf Akbar 116; Lal Kumar 4-52) and 332-8 declared in 87 overs (Rauf Akbar 77, Umair Khan 70, Imad Wasim 56 not out; Lal Kumar 4-83); HYDERABAD 173 in 58 overs (Kamran Hussain 4-34) and 110-3 in 27 overs.

At Multan Cricket Stadium: PESHAWAR 341 in 99.3 overs (Naveed Khan 70, Mohammad Idrees 63, Mahfooz Sabri 62; Abdur Rauf 7-84) and 41-2 in 11 overs; MULTAN 481 in 130.5 overs (Usman Tariq 171, Naveed Yasin 120, Gulraiz Sadaf 60 not out).

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi: RAWALPINDI 289 in 78.4 overs (Awais Zia 147 not out; Tabish Khan 5-57); KARACHI BLUES 134 in 54.2 overs (Rizwan Akbar 5-46) and 297-6 in 107 overs (Shahzaib Hasan 95, Shaharyar Ghani 74).

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: LAHORE RAVI 287 in 83.4 overs (Sohail Ahmed 68, Ali Raza 57 not out; Bilawal Bhatti 4-87) and 52-1 in 17.5 overs; SIALKOT 385 in 128.1 overs (Ayaz Tasawwar 93, Naeemuddin 64).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: Abbottabad beat Quetta by 10 wickets.

QUETTA 164 in 60.5 overs (Noor-ul-Amin 4-58) and 173 in 59.1 overs (Noor-ul-Amin 4-56); ABBOTTABAD 255 in 77.5 overs (Riaz Kail 90 not out; Imran Khan 4-72) and 84-0 in 10 overs.