KARACHI Salman Butt blasted a dazzling unconquered century to spearhead title favorites Punjab Stallions to their third successive win when they beat the Balochistan Bears by six wickets in the Pentangular Cup One-day Cricket Tournament at National Stadium Karachi on Wednesday.
The Pakistan opener, batting at number three, smashed ten boundaries in his 93-ball 108. His 130-run fourth wicket stand with Kamran Akmal steered the Stallions to victory with nine balls to spare.
Kamran struck three fours and as many sixes in his unbeaten 48 off a mere 29 deliveries.
The Punjab Stallions chasing 285 for victory made a shaky start losing openers Azhar Ali (9) and Nasir Jamshed (3) with 25 runs on the board. Umar Akmal then went after making seven. However Salman and Kamrans stand tilted the match in Stallions favor.
Earlier inserted to bat, the Bears constructed 284 for the loss of four wickets in their 50 overs.
Saeed Bin Nasir top-scored for the Bears with an unbeaten 97 off 89 balls, hitting 11 boundaries and one six.
Skipper Misbah- ul-Haq made 49 in 47 balls with four boundaries and a six and added 113-runs for the fourth wicket with Saeed to set a challenging total for Stallions.
Scoreboard Baluchistan Bears Innings Muhammad hafeez run out 46 Shoaib Khan c Mansoor b Malik 36 Saeed Anwar Jr. c Umar b Malik 26 Saeed Bin Nasir not out 97 Misbah-ul-Haq c Umar b Wahab 49 Kamran Hussain not out 10
Total 284 for 4 (50 overs) Extras 21 (B-11, W-6, NB_4)
Bowling sarfraz Ahmed 10-038-0 Muhammad Talha 10-0-63-0(1nb) Wahab Riaz 6.4-0-62-1 (2nb) Shoaib Malik 10-1-37-2 (2w) Abdul Rehman 10-0-44-0 (1w) Mansoor Amjad 3.2-0-29-1
Punjab Stallions Innings Azhar Ali c Gulraiz b Rauf 9 Nasir Jamshed c yasir b Kamran 3 Salman Butt not out 109 Kamran Akmal not out 48
Total 285 for 4 (48.3) Extras 3 (Lb-2, W-1)
Bowling Abdul Rauf 10-0-58-1 Kamran Hussain 9.3-0-49-1 Yasir Ali 5-0-37-1 Muhammad hafeez 8-0-50-0 (1w) Danish Kaneria 10-0-53-1 Saeed Anwar Jr. 6-0-38-0
Umpires Iqbal Butt & Zameer Haider Match Referee Anwar Khan.
Law enforcement and political quarters are notorious for protecting the perpetrators, instead of ensuring legal implementation. Systemic coercion will keep Pakistan from becoming a humane state.
