KARACHI, April 14: As expected PIA comfortably book their place in the Patron’s Cup one-day final after securing a five-wicket victory against Pakistan Customs in the second semifinal here at the National Stadium on Thursday. PIA’s opponents in Saturday’s tournament decider will be Wapda, who thrashed KRL in Wednesday’s first semifinal in Lahore.

Chasing a modest 225, PIA batted leisurely in sultry conditions before scoring the winning run at the start of the game’s final over. On paper, the result may suggest that it was a closely-fought encounter.

On the contrary, PIA remained in command of the situation throughout the whole duration of the match. With the all-important final to come, PIA’s tactics were quite legitimate because they wanted to gain as much match practice as possible before Saturday.

Moin Khan, who was in inspiring form, once again led from the front to be named Man-of-the-Match. Having snapped up four catches in his familiar role as wicket-keeper, the PIA captain made a robust 52-ball 46 – with three hits to the fence — until an attempt to steal a risky single cost him dear.

Kamran Sajid regained form probably at the right time with a sedate 74 off 110 balls while second fiddle to Moin and Shoaib Khan in the two highest partnerships of the match.

The left-handed opener, who struck four boundaries, added 80 in 99 balls with his captain before assisting Shoaib in a 81-run stand for the third-wicket in 111 balls. Slow left-armer Fawad Alam encouraged Kamran to pull a catch down Azhar Shafiq’s lap at deep mid-wicket.

Fawad also accounted for Asif Mujtaba by having the former Test left-hander caught behind for 25.

Shoaib fell to the medium-pacers of Customs skipper Azhar Shafiq after striking a brace of boundaries in a 80-ball 57.

Earlier, Customs never got going with the bat once Kashif Siddique nicked a catch to Moin on the fourth delivery of the match after Azhar won a good toss on a decent one-day pitch.

Mohammad Ali Niazi, the record-breaking opener, tried his level best to up the tempo despite the lost of two further wickets.

Azhar became a victim for the forgotten man of Pakistan cricket, Mohammad Zahid, the fast bowler with a prolonged history of crippling injuries against his name.

Niazi clubbed the relatively new ball with disdain to smash eight boundaries in scoring 45 off only 40 balls before the gentle spin of Asif Mujtaba induced a false stroke.

The only other score of some significance in what was a disappointing Customs innings came from young left-hander Fawad, who was last out for 74-ball 44. Otherwise, apart from Afsar Nawaz (34 off 47 balls, four fours) and Shahid Siddique (30 off 52 balls) no other batsman managed to get going.

Mujtaba, fellow slow left-armer Nadeem Khan and part-time off-spinner Mahmood Hamid claimed two wickets while collectively conceding a mere 95 runs in 28.1 overs.

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