KARACHI, March 29: Discarded Taufiq Umer slammed his second unbeaten century in three matches as Habib Bank defeated Sui Gas by 39 runs in a high scoring National One-day Championship final round match at the National Stadium Friday.
Taufiq, who scored 108 not out and then followed up with 40 not out, blasted an undefeated 151 in a match that produced 635 runs from 100 overs for the loss of 13 wickets.
Taufiq’s brilliant effort helped the bankers collect 337 for five. Sui Gas, in their turn, went down fighting by replying with 298 for eight.
The victory ensured Habib Bank finished on top of Group-I with three successive victories. The bankers will stay in town for their semifinal scheduled for Tuesday.
However, in the end, it were the last 10 overs of both the teams that made all the difference. The bankers went on the rampage and collected 119 runs while Sui Gas, who were ahead of Habib Bank after 40 overs, could score only 59.
Taufiq, left out from the Sharjah Cup squad, clobbered 15 boundaries and three sixes in his 141-ball innings. He featured in a 178-run third wicket stand from 140 balls with skipper Ijaz Ahmed Senior who fell three short of a century.
Ijaz fell victim to medium-pacer Shahid Khan who finished as the most successful Sui Gas bowler with three for 78. Ijaz hit 97 off 81 balls with 12 boundaries.
Sui Gas, who finished winless despite being in winning position against PIA and ABL, made a brave fight back and almost gave Habib Bank a run for their money.
Although there were some nice and rapid contributions, Sui Gas lacked one significant score and at least two big partnerships.
Opener Mohammad Hafeez finished as the top scorer with a 41- ball 55 while there were three scores of 40s.
Habib Bank’s slow left-armer Abdul Rehman was the best bowler of the match when he conceded 45 runs and picked three wickets. Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria ended up with two for 51.
HABIB BANK:
Taufiq Umer not out 151
Saleem Elahi c Ali Raza b Shahid 11
Imran Farhat c Sohail b Shahid 32
Ijaz Ahmed Sr c Ali Raza b Shahid 97
Atiq-uz-Zaman c Ali Raza b Hafeez 25
Abdul Rehman b Hafeez 0
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-15, NB-4) 21
TOTAL (for five wkts, 50 overs) 337
FALL OF WKTS: 1-56, 2-118, 3-296, 4-336, 5-337.
DID NOT BAT: Hasan Raza, Sajid Shah, Mohammad Altaf, Irfan Fazil, Danish Kaneria.
BOWLING: Azhar Abbas 9-0-43-0; Wasim Khan 10-1-78-0; Shahid Khan 10-0-78-3; Mohammad Hafeez 8-0-53-2; Salim Mughal 7-0-46-0; Mohammad Nadeem 6-0-37-0.
SUI GAS:
M.Hafeez c Ijaz b Kaneria 55
Kamran Sajid c Imran b Irfan 4
Asim Munir c Atiq b Rehman 44
Sohail Idrees c Imran b Rehman 35
Saleem Mughal c Hasan b Kaneria 25
Abid Mohammad st Atiq b Rehman 44
Ali Raza c sub b Imran 12
Shahid Khan b Hasan 46
Mohammad Nadeem not out 13
Wasim Khan not out 1
EXTRAS (LB-4, W-10, NB-5) 19
TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 298
FALL OF WKTS: 1-37, 2-73, 3-147, 4-154, 5-203, 6-229, 7-249, 8-296.
DID NOT BAT: Azhar Abbas.
BOWLING: Sajid Shah 8-1-31-0; Irfan Fazil 4-0-42-1; Danish Kaneria 10-0-51-2; Mohammad Altaf 3-0-29-0; Abdul Rehman 10-0-45-3; Imran Farhat 10-0-61-1; Taufiq Umer 4-0-31-0; Hasan Raza 1-0-4-1.
RESULT: HABIB BANK won by 39 runs.
UMPIRES: Feroz Butt and Islam Khan.
MATCH REFEREE: Fahimuddin Alvi.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Taufiq Umer.