KARACHI, March 10: A powerful batting performance by Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL)’s Sharjeel Khan and Babar Azam saw reigning champions Habib Bank suffer a stunning 114-run defeat in the Faysal Bank National One-day Cup Division I event at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday.

Opener Sharjeel bludgeoned 163 off 128 deliveries with 15 fours and as many as nine sixes, while the talented Babar scored an even 100 (off 115 balls with six boundaries) as ZTBL amassed 349-7 in the Group ‘A’ fixture after being inserted into bat by Habib Bank skipper Hasan Raza. The third-wicket partnership between them yielded 229.

Habib Bank, in reply, lost Ahmed Shehzad for one and never really recovered from that blow as they subsided inside 40 overs for 235. Former international Junaid Zia picked up four wickets for 50 runs in eight overs. It was ZTBL’s second victory on the trot since they defeated PIA by five wickets at the same venue in the Thursday’s opening round.

In another major upset, the unheralded State Bank snatched a dramatic nine-run at the LCCA Ground in Lahore as National Bank suffered their successive loss.

After making a modest 234, the State Bank bowlers superbly defended that total by restricting the fancied National Bank side to 225-9 in their chase. Ex-Test left-hander Qaiser Abbas was left stranded on 83 (94 balls, eight boundaries). Earlier, off-spinner Irfanuddin bagged five wickets for 42 runs in his 10-over spell after State Bank opted to bat first.

A fine undefeated 86 (106 balls, eight fours and one six) by Shoaib Khan propelled PIA to a four-wicket win against Wapda at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. Chasing 242, PIA won in 49 overs. Opener Faraz Ali also made a worthy contribution of 69 from 95 balls with seven hits to the fence.

Karachi Dolphins sneaked to a nail-biting victory by mere three runs as Islamabad Leopards were curtailed to 229-9 in their run chase in the Group ‘B’ match at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad.

In the other two games of this pool, Faisalabad Wolves beat Rawalpindi Rams by 61 runs at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi and Abbottabad Falcons trounced Sialkot Stallions by seven wickets at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Results: Group ‘A’: At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: ZTBL beat Habib Bank by 114 runs.

ZTBL 349-7 in 50 overs (Sharjeel Khan 163, Babar Azam 100, Haris Sohail 24; Fahad Masood 3-66, Kamran Hussain 2-64); HABIB BANK 235 in 39.1 overs (Hasan Raza 47, Humayun Farhat 52, Imran Farhat 45, Taufiq Umar 36, Fahad Masood 21; Junaid Zia 4-50, Babar Azam 2-28, Rehan Riaz 2-42).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: State Bank beat National Bank by nine runs.

STATE BANK 234 in 49.4 overs (Kashif Siddique 57, Rameez Aziz 52, Gulraiz Sadaf 33, Rameez Raja 28; Irfanuddin 5-42); NATIONAL BANK 225-9 in 50 overs (Qaiser Abbas 83 not out, Umar Amin 53, Aqeel Anjum 30; Adnan Rasool 2-26, Rameez Aziz 2-31).

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: PIA beat Wapda by four wickets.

WAPDA 241 in 49.4 overs (Ali Azmat 56, Riffatullah Mohmand 45, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 31, Zulfiqar Babar 28, Imranullah 21, Aamir Sajjad 21; Anwar Ali 3-51, Zia-ul-Haq 2-32, Shoaib Malik 2-43); PIA 246-6 in 49 overs (Shoaib Khan 86 not out, Faraz Ali 69, Agha Sabir 32; Imranullah 3-38).

Group ‘B’: At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: Karachi Dolphins beat Islamabad Leopards by three runs.

KARACHI DOLPHINS 232 in 48.2 overs (Shahzaib Hasan 67, Tanvir Ahmed 44, Mohammad Sami 31, Javed Mansoor 26, Khalid Latif 21; Kamran Hussain 3-31, Shahzad Azam 3-50, Imad Wasim 2-37); ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 229-9 in 50 overs (Afaq Raheem 65, Zeeshan Mushtaq 53, Naeem Anjum 39; Haris Ayaz 2-39, Tanvir Ahmed 2-45, Azam Hussain 2-47).

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi: Faisalabad Wolves beat Rawalpindi Rams by 61 runs.

FAISALABAD WOLVES 224-7 in 50 overs (Mohammad Salman 62 not out, Zeeshan Asif 51, Mohammad Shahid 45; Yasim Murtaza 4-43, Sadaf Hussain 2-32); RAWALPINDI RAMS 163 in 41 overs (Awais Zia 38, Mohammad Nawaz 32, Yasim Murtaza 231; Aqeel Ahmed 3-25, Ahsan Adil 3-35, Mohammad Shahid 2-21, Waqas Maqsood 2-26).

At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad: Abbottabad Falcons beat Sialkot Stallions by seven wickets.

SIALKOT STALLIONS 238-7 in 50 overs (M. Ayub Dogar 108, Kamran Younis 26, Mubeen Mughal 21 not out, Mohammad Azhar 21; Ikramullah Khan 2-46, Nabiullah 2-49); ABBOTTABAD FALCONS 239-3 in 47 overs (Hammad Ali Shah 97, Mohammad Naeem 84, Rameez Ahmed 31).