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RAWALPINDI, Jan 23: Sizzling centuries by Ghulam Ali and Asif Mujtaba on Thursday helped PIA tighten the noose around Bahawalpur who were in danger of suffering an innings defeat in their Quaid-i-Azam Trophy pre-quarterfinal at Rawalpindi Stadium.
Ghulam struck 144 off 198 balls while Mujtaba hammered a 207- ball 118 as PIA, 157 for one overnight, put on a massive 480 for seven before declaring their first innings closed.
With a healthy lead of 279, Test pacer Mohammad Zahid struck quickly to claim two wickets to leave Bahawalpur reeling at 21 for three by the close of the second day.
Ghulam, 88 not out on Wednesday, was in such cracking form that he blasted 21 fours and a six in his marathon 188-minute stay at the wicket. Mujtaba did well too, striking 13 fours to propel his side as did Faisal Iqbal (69) and Bazid Khan (55).
Slow left-armer Mubashir Ali was the main wicket-taker for Bahawalpur with three for 125.
Scoreboard
BAHAWALPUR (1st Innings) 201 (Arshad Ali 56, Safdar Niazi 52; Mohammad Zahid 4-64).
PIA (1st Innings, overnight 157-1):
Kamran Sajid b Amjad 54
Ghulam Ali c Asif b Mubashir 144
Faisal Iqbal b Amjad 69
Asif Mujtaba c Amjad b Safdar 118
Bazid Khan c Hasnain b Mubashir 55
Yasir Hameed not out 13
Moin Khan c Asif b Zeeshan 12
Mohammad Zahid st Inam b Mubashir 6
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-3, NB-5) 9
TOTAL (for seven dec, 128 overs) 480
FALL OF WKTS: 1-137, 2-238, 3-312, 4-429, 5-449, 6-473, 7-480.
BOWLING: Arshad Ali 5-0-30-0; Adnan Butt 12-0-60-0; Zeeshan Khalid 30-2-118-1; Amjad Jam 32-5-91-2; Mubashir Ali 33-0-125-3; Safdar Niazi 16-1-52-1.
BAHAWALPUR (2nd Innings):
Mohammad Rashid lbw b Zahid 0
Asif Iqbal not out 4
Safdar Niazi lbw b Zahid 0
Hasnain Raza c Kamran b Ali Gohar 7
Farrukh Kamal not out 4
EXTRAS (B-4, NB-2) 6
TOTAL (for three wkts, 7 overs) 21
FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-5, 3-12.
BOWLING (to-date): Mohammad Zahid 4-1-12-2; Ali Gohar 3-2-5-1.
