KARACHI, March 12: Paceman Fahad Masood returned career-best figures of seven for 33 as reigning champions Habib Bank annihilated Wapda by eight wickets in the Faysal Bank National One-day Cup Division I fixture at the LCCA Ground in Lahore on Monday.

The bankers, who lost to Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) on Saturday, bounced back in an emphatic manner by dismissing Wapda for a paltry of 60 in 24.2 overs after stand-in skipper Riffatullah Mohmand opted to bat first upon winning the toss.

But Riffatullah was left to rue his decision Fahad soon had them reeling. By the end of the 10th over, the shell-shocked Wapda had limped to 18-5. Fahad, the 30-year-old from Gaggu Mandi, was responsible for dismissing the top six batsmen.

At one stage it seemed Wapda would struggle to get even 50 when were 26-7 in the 14th over. But Zulfiqar Babar then struck 19 from 23 deliveries to emerge as the top-scorer. Apart from Zulfiqar, Saadullah Ghauri (17) was the only other batsman to reach double figures.

Habib Bank needed only 8.2 overs to reach their target which enabled them to take the top spot in Group ‘A’ on a superior net run-rate with two wins in three games. Wapda are now almost out of contention with three successive defeats.

National Bank, meanwhile, scored a much-needed win when they downed ZTBL by 99 runs at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. Having lost to Habib Bank and State Bank, National Bank revived their semi-final hopes through telling contributions from opener Khurram Manzoor (89 off 113 balls, 11 boundaries) and a fit-again fast bowler Mohammad Talha (5-34) as ZTBL subsided to 169 all out while chasing 269.

PIA chalked up their second straight win when they beat State Bank by three wickets at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Skipper Shoaib Malik (58) and Faisal Iqbal (56 not out) played major knocks as PIA successfully chased a target of 271.

Despite an unbeaten 140 (156 balls, 11 fours and four sixes) from Khalid Latif, Karachi Dolphins lost to Rawalpindi Rams by 77 runs under Duckworth/Lewis Method when rain disrupted the Group ‘B’ game at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

In other matches, Islamabad Leopards crushed Abbottabad Falcons by 164 runs at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad with opener Afaq Raheem striking 129 (144 balls, 18 fours), while Sialkot Stallions brushed aside Faisalabad Wolves by seven wickets at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha.

Results:

Group ‘A’:

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: PIA beat State Bank by three wickets. STATE BANK 270-6 in 50 overs (Mohtashim Ali 88, Rameez Aziz 66 not out, Adnan Raees 54, Gulraiz Sadaf 26; Najaf Shah 3-56, Shoaib Malik 2-51); PIA 271-7 in 49.1 overs (Shoaib Malik 58, Faisal Iqbal 56 not out, Anwar Ali 32, Agha Sabir 28, Shoaib Khan 25; Hasan Mahmood 3-42).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: Habib Bank beat Wapda by eight wickets.

WAPDA 60 in 24.2 overs (Zulfiqar Babar 19 not out, Saadullah Ghauri 17; Fahad Masood 7-33, Danish Kaneria 2-5) HABIB BANK 61-2 in 8.2 overs (Taufiq Umar 19, Shan Masood 15 not out; Azharullah 2-40).

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: National Bank beat ZTBL by 99 runs. NATIONAL BANK 268 in 49.3 overs (Khurram Manzoor 89, Fawad Alam 47, Rashid Riaz 41, Umar Amin 27, Aqeel Anjum 21; Junaid Zia 3-74, Zohaib Khan 2-41, Abdul Razzaq 2-46); ZTBL 169 in 41 overs (Babar Azam 64, Zohaib Khan 48; Mohammad Talha 5-34, Uzair-ul-Haq 2-22, Qaiser Abbas 2-36). Group ‘B’: At Sports Stadium, Sargodha: Sialkot Stallions beat Faisalabad Wolves by seven wickets. FAISALABAD WOLVES 112 in 45.5 overs (Asif Ali 22, Ahsan Adil 22; Mohammad Azhar 5-20, Bilal Asif 2-15); SIALKOT STALLIONS 114-3 in 29 overs (Shahzad Malik 32 not out, Mansoor Amjad 31 not out; Naseer Akram 3-28). At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: Islamabad Leopards beat Abbottabad Falcons by 164 runs. ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 270-7 in 50 overs (Afaq Raheem 129, Zohaib Ahmed 50; Ikramullah Khan 2-42, Zeeshan Khan 2-54); ABBOTTABAD FALCONS 106 in 27.3 overs (Fawad Khan 41, Asif Ali 20; Imad Wasim 3-36, Kamran Hussain 2-6, Shahzad Azam 2-16). At Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: Rawalpindi Rams beat Karachi Dolphins by 77 runs (D/L Method). KARACHI DOLPHINS 269-7 in 50 overs (Khalid Latif 140 not out, Fazal Subhan 50, Ahmed Iqbal 29; Nasir Malik 2-55, Yasim Murtaza 2-74); RAWALPINDI RAMS 196-2 in 28 overs (Naved Malik 58 not out, Jamal Anwar 45, Shoaib Ahmed Minhas 43 not out, Awais Zia 41).