KARACHI, March 2 Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), boasting a number of current and former internationals in their ranks, face Sialkot in the five-day final of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot from Tuesday.

Skippered by ex-Test opening batsman Mohammad Wasim, KRL have never been able to win a major domestic tournament after gaining promotion to the first-class arena in 1997-98. The only time they were able to make the final of the country`s premier event was in 2002-03, KRL suffered a 10-wicket defeat against PIA in Karachi.

KRL qualified for the final on net run-rate after they finished level with National Bank with 51 points in Group `A`, while Sialkot, with a tally of 60 points, comfortably topped Group `B` that had only regional teams competing.

As far as team news is concerned, Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal is available for the big match, although he is certain to be named in the national squad for the tour to Bangladesh, which starts from Saturday, which is the scheduled last day of the final.

There is no confirmation of Sohail Tanvir, the left-handed Pakistan all-rounder, playing in this game because he is also expected to be picked for the Bangladesh tour.

Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, the KRL`s other current Pakistan star, could also make a surprise appearance on Tuesday since he seems to have recovered from a knee problem that had him sidelined from the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka. KRL, of course, are without all-rounder Yasir Arafat who is playing in the second Test in Lahore.

Sialkot, on the other hand, are appearing in their third Quaid Trophy final and won the championship in 2005-06 when Faisalabad were the beaten finalists in Lahore. Unlike their opponents, the hosts will be relying on local stars with no international experience to speak of in what will be the first domestic first-class final in the industrial city that is famous for its sports goods.

Sialkot captain Mohammad Ayub Dogar (715 runs), Haris Sohail (740) and Naeemuddin (615) have been the key batsmen for the regional outfit while left-arm paceman Naved Arif have led their bowling attack admirably with a haul of 54 wickets.

Teams (from)

KRL Mohammad Wasim (captain), Saeed Anwar Jr, Azhar Ali, Arsalan Mir, Bazid Khan, Ali Naqvi, Rizwan Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Shoaib Akhtar, Saeed Ajmal, Zulfiqar Jan, Junaid Khan, Jaffar Nazir, Yasir Ali, Fahad-ul-Haq, Mohammad Irfan, Asif Mahmood, Ali Khan, Akhtar Ayub.

SIALKOT Ayub Dogar (captain), Kamran Younis, Naeemuddin, Haris Sohail, Adnan Zaheer, Adeel Malik, Ahmed Butt, Ayaz Tasawwar, Aqeel Abbas, Bilal Azmat, Bilal Hussain, Nadeem Javed, Naved Arif, Nayyar Abbas, Tariq Mahmood, Kaleem Ahmed, Sarmad Anwar, Mohammad Abbas, Bilawal Bhatti.

Umpires Zameer Haider and Riazuddin.

Match referee Musaddeq Rasool Khan.