KARACHI: With just one round of fixtures remaining in the Gold League segment of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship, the solitary interest remain which of the two contenders earns the right to take on Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) in the Dec 22-26 final at the National Stadium.

Thus the feature game of the 11th round will begin from Saturday at the NBP Sports Complex where National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) will lock horns with Port Qasim Authority (PQA). PQA have edge over third-placed NBP for two valid reasons.

Firstly, they head into the ‘must-win’ clash with a crucial three-point advantage. Secondly, unlike their rivals, PQA have no selection worries as such to speak of. But the Kamran Akmal-led NBP have options drastically reduced because of the forthcoming one-day series between Pakistan ‘A’ and the visiting Kenya in Lahore.

In-form Fawad Alam, the NBP’s batting mainstay in the championship, has been named the Pakistan ‘A’ skipper for the five matches against the Kenyans. Further, opener Sami Aslam, all-rounder Hammad Azam and spinner Raza Hasan are also forced to sit out the trophy match because of national duty.

Because of sit-ins at focal centres in Karachi called by Tehkreek-i-Insaf on Friday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been forced to delay the start of the four scheduled matches in the city by a day.

In one of the remaining three games beginning from Saturday will see SNGPL virtually practice for the final when they meet Wapda at the Southend Club Ground after the venue was switched from the originally announced Arabian Sea Country Club (ASCC).

Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) — who are set to be demoted to the Silver League event if the PCB opts to continue next season the format devised this year after lot of deliberations with all the stakeholders — will make a last attempt to salvage some pride when they face United Bank at the latter’s home ground at the UBL Sports Complex.

Islamabad Leopards will try to improve their current position if they manage maximum points against Lahore Lions at the National Stadium in the other game starting from Saturday.

Meanwhile, two matches will begin from Friday in Hyderabad and Multan. At the Niaz Stadium Karachi Dolphins meet Rawalpindi Rams in their mid-table clash, while Multan Tigers are slated to make last appearance in the top tier this season as the bottom side battles for supremacy against Peshawar Panthers at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

The Dolphins will have to do without the services of spin ace Shahzaib Ahmed Khan and batsmen Saad Ali and Fazal Subhan after the trio were named in the Pakistan ‘A’ squad. Shahzaib will be sorely missed after the talented leg-spinner had a dream match against the Panthers at the ASCC where he grabbed 14 wickets.

Schedule:

Dec 12-15: Karachi Dolphins vs Rawalpindi Rams (Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad); Multan Tigers vs Peshawar Panthers (Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan).

Dec 13-16: Lahore Lions vs Islamabad Leopards (National Stadium, Karachi); United Bank vs Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (UBL Sports Complex, Karachi); National Bank vs Port Qasim Authority (NBP Sports Complex, Karachi); Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited vs Water and Power Development Authority (Southend Club Ground, Karachi).

Current standings(Tabulated under: played, won, lost, drawn, points):

SNGPL 10 7 1 2 63Port Qasim 10 6 0 4 59 National Bank 10 5 1 4 56 Wapda 10 5 1 4 45 Rawalpindi Rams 10 4 3 3 36United Bank 10 3 3 4 35 Karachi Dolphins 10 3 4 3 35Islamabad Leopards 10 3 2 5 33Lahore Lions 10 2 7 1 21ZTBL 10 2 6 2 19 Peshawar Panthers 10 1 7 2 15Multan Tigers 10 0 8 2 3

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2014