LAHORE, Nov 20: Fine bowling by left-arm medium-pacer Junaid Khan took the NWFP in sight of victory against Punjab on the penultimate day of the RBS Pentangular Cup match at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Thursday.
Junaid captured six for 56 as Punjab, who obtained a slender 37-run lead on the first innings, were skittled out for 134 in the second innings.
By close of play, NWFP, chasing an easy target of 172, reached 105-3 in their second innings with Riffatullah Mohmand (35) and Aftab Ahmed (9) at the crease.
The NWFP — already through to the Nov 24-28 final after winning all three previous matches — are favourites to score another win because of the presence of Pakistan star batsman Younis Khan, who was the top-scorer in the first innings here with an unbeaten 75.
However, it was Junaid who wrested the initiative from the home side by running through Punjab’s middle and lower batting. At one stage, Punjab were tottering at 75-7.
But top scorer Mohammad Salman (35, five fours and one six) and Wahab Riaz (28, four fours) then put on 52 for the eight wicket as Punjab crossed the 100-run barrier. Salman was bowled by Junaid, who also sent back Wahab before Younis got rid of last man Mohammad Talha.
Shakeel, who took four wickets in the first innings, finished with two for 42 in the second.
Earlier, NWFP, who resumed their first innings at 212-7, added just 16 runs before losing the remaining wickets. Talha finished with six for 59.
Scoreboard
PUNJAB (1st Innings) 265 (Azhar Ali 116; Shakeel-ur-Rehman 4-60).
NWFP (1st Innings, overnight 212-7):
Yasir Hameed c Salman b Talha 11
Adnan Raees c Salman b Khalil 34
Riffatullah Mohmand c Hafeez b Talha 6
Younis Khan not out 75
Shoaib Khan b Talha 24
Aftab Ahmed b Mansoor 14
Zulfiqar Jan c Salman b Khalil 2
Shakeel-ur-Rehman c Rehman b Talha 13
Aslam Qureshi c Mansoor b Talha 9
Nauman Habib c Umar b Wahab 1
Junaid Khan c Khalil b Talha 0
EXTRAS (B-11, LB-8, W-8, NB-12) 39
TOTAL (all out, 68.3 overs) 228
FALL OF WKTS: 1-35, 2-44, 3-71, 4-138, 5-161, 6-166, 7-201, 8-222, 9-227.
BOWLING: Mohammad Khalil 17.4-1-77-2 (4nb, 6w); Mohammad Talha 20.3-1-59-6 (7nb); Wahab Riaz 14-3-17-0; Abdur Rehman 11-3-17-0; Mansoor Amjad 3-0-11-1 (1nb); Mohammad Hafeez 3.2-0-3-0.
PUNJAB (2nd Innings):
Mohammad Hafeez c Shoaib b Nauman 0
Azhar Ali lbw b Shakeel 29
Umar Akmal c Yasir b Junaid 10
Mansoor Amjad c Adnan b Junaid 0
Mohammad Ayub c Zulfiqar b Shakeel 22
Khurram Shahzad c Younis b Junaid 4
Mohammad Salman b Junaid 35
Abdur Rehman b Junaid 0
Wahab Riaz c Zulfiqar b Junaid 28
Mohammad Talha c Aftab b Younis 1
Mohammad Khalil not out 0
EXTRAS (B-4, W-1) 5
TOTAL (all out, 32.3 overs) 134
FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-15, 3-15, 4-62, 5-67, 6-70, 7-75, 8-127, 9-130.
BOWLING: Nauman Habib 7-2-21-1; Junaid Khan 12.3-1-56-6; Shakeel-ur-Rehman 10-1-42-2 (1w); Younis Khan 3-1-11-1.
NWFP (2nd Innings):
Yasir Hameed c Mansoor b Talha 15
Adnan Raees c Salman b Khalil 6
Riffatullah Mohmand not out 35
Shoaib Khan lbw b Mansoor 28
Aftab Ahmed not out 9
EXTRAS (LB-5, W-1, NB-6) 12
TOTAL (for three wkts, 22 overs) 105
FALL OF WKTS: 1-21, 2-21, 3-90.
BOWLING (to-date): Mohammad Khalil 5-0-18-1 (1w); Mohammad Talha 9-0-49-1 (2nb); Wahab Riaz 6-0-23-0 (2nb); Mansoor Amjad 2-0-10-1 (2nb).