KARACHI: Senior Pakistan batsman Younis Khan made a welcome return to form by striking an undefeated century as President’s Trophy Grade-I National Cricket Championship leaders Habib Bank made a solid start to their fourth-round fixture against State Bank in Faisalabad on Sunday.

Younis, who was sidelined for the one-day series against Australia in the UAE in Aug-Sept this year, led from the front to score 101 as Habib Bank closed the opening day of their match at the Iqbal Stadium on 242-4 after Younis opted to bat first at the toss.

The 34-year-old right-handed Test stalwart, who completed his 39th first-class century just before stumps, has so far been at the crease for 278 minutes during he negotiated 199 balls and struck 11 boundaries.

Habib Bank began innings on a shaky note when discarded Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad was dismissed LBW by left-arm paceman Saad Altaf for one. By the time the total reached 72, left-handed opener Shan Masood (30) and Aftab Khan (16) too had perished.

Former Test batsman Hasan Raza (41 off 91 balls, three fours) joined Younis in a partnership that doubled the total before Hasan was out to paceman Mohammad Ali. But Rameez Aziz (49 off 108 balls, three fours and one six) came to the crease to put on 98 for the unfinished fifth-wicket stand with Younis.

Left-handed Qaiser Abbas, who played a solitary Test for Pakistan against Nasser Hussain’s England side at Faisalabad way back in November 2000 without much luck, hammered an unbeaten 104 (off 163 balls in 232 minutes) as National Bank fought back to reach 317-8 after they were asked to bat first by PIA’s stand-in skipper Sarfraz Ahmed at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

PIA’s decision to field first seemed justified as National Bank slumped to 187-6. But Qaiser was then joined by Pakistan Test seamer Wahab Riaz (52 off 83 balls, seven boundaries) in a priceless stand of 107. The 30-year-old Qaiser’s ninth hundred in 129 first-class matches contains 15 fours and one six.

Opener Abid Ali, who missed out on a hundred by six runs against State Bank just three days ago at the UBL Sports Complex in Karachi, stroked an unconquered 124 to inspire United Bank to 241-3 against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), who decided to bowl first after winning the toss at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi.

United Bank’s seesaw start to the season saw them in some bother at 103-3 before the 25-year-old Abid, who has adorned his fifth ton in 42nd first-class appearance with 20 boundaries in stay of 353 minutes during he faced 243 balls, and Mohammad Sami (53 off 65 balls, six fours) combined to put on an unbroken partnership of 138.

Sohaib Maqsood, a 25-year-old all-rounder from Multan, slammed 110 — the right-hander’s fourth century at this level in 30 matches — off 140 balls with 20 fours as Wapda nullified Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZBTL)’s decision to field first by reaching 284-7 at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha. ZTBL skipper and Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has claimed three of the wickets to fall for 53 runs.

Wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan fell nine runs short of making a hundred as Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) made a good recovery from 96-5 to 266 all out after being put into bat by Port Qasim Authority (PQA)’s acting captain Khurram Manzoor at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot.

With current Test stars Mohammad Hafeez (21), Taufiq Umar (2), Azhar Ali (15) and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (3) all departing cheaply, it was left to Ali Waqas (56 off 93 balls, seven fours) and Rizwan, who hit 13 boundaries in his 118-ball 91, to give their side a respectable total. Slow left-armer Azam Hussain captured four wickets for 41 runs.

Khurram, leading PQA in absence of the suspended Khalid Latif, then ensured his side enjoy their best day in the ongoing competition, by scoring 38 of the 49 runs PQA had made by close of play.

Close of play scores on Sunday (day one of four): At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: NATIONAL BANK 317-8 in 82 overs (Qaiser Abbas 104 not out, Wahab Riaz 52, Nasir Jamshed 35; Tahir Khan 3-113, Anwar Ali 2-46, Aizaz Cheema 2-75) v PIA.

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: HABIB BANK 242-4 in 83 overs (Younis Khan 101 not out, Rameez Aziz 49 not out, Hasan Raza 41; Saad Altaf 2-75) v STATE BANK.

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: SNGPL 266 in 69.2 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 91, Ali Waqas 56; Azam Hussain 4-41, Abdur Rauf 2-49, Mohammad Sami 2-75); PORT QASIM AUTHORITY 49-0 in 10 overs (Khurram Manzoor 38 not out).

At Sports Stadium, Sargodha: WAPDA 284-7 in 82.2 overs (Sohaib Maqsood 110, Bilal Khilji 53, Aamir Sajjad 39; Abdul Razzaq 3-53, Mohammad Khalil 2-84) v ZTBL.

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi: UNITED BANK 241-3 in 83 overs (Abid Ali 124 not out, Mohammad Sami 53 not out) v KRL.