KARACHI: Habib Bank Limited (HBL) showed their star-studded prowess in no uncertain terms while qualifying for the semi-finals of the President’s Cup One-day cricket tournament with an effortless seven-wicket defeat of United Bank Limited (UBL) at the latter’s home territory here on Saturday.
The result was never in doubt once UBL failed to make impression on an UBL Sports Complex pitch which held no terror for the batsmen after Younis Khan, the HBL skipper, decided to bowl first upon winning the toss in the last Group ‘B’ fixture.
HBL’s progression to the knockout stage of the competition — along with Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) — was made certain by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) ended State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)’s hopes with an inconsequential first victory at the National Stadium in the other match played simultaneously.
HBL, the runners-up in their pool, will take on Group ‘A’ toppers National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in the first semi-final at the National Stadium on Tuesday, followed by the Wapda-Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) pre-final the next day. The final is slated to be played on Friday with all three knockout games to be broadcast live by a private TV channel.
Such was HBL’s dominance on Saturday that at almost the midpoint of the first innings, the team of stars was expected to be chasing not more than 110 when the sixth UBL wicket went with the score on 80 in the 24th over. But a career-best contribution from Kashif Bhatti at least provided UBL with a respectable total.
Kashif, who bowls left-arm spin but bats right-hand, held the innings together with a series of defiant strokes after the middle-order batting was dismantled by slow left-armer Aslam Qureshi who finished with excellent analysis of four wickets for 34 runs.
The Nawabshah-born cricketer was dismissed by burly paceman Fahad Masood after decorating his 84-ball innings with 10 boundaries and one six. Mohammad Irshad also played a good supporting role with a 49-ball 28 as he assisted Kashif put on 81 for the eighth-wicket.
Apart from these two, UBL’s other contributors were opener Abid Ali (25 off 55 balls) and Itmad-ul-Haq (26 off 53).
Ehsan Adil nipped out three batsmen with a subtle change in seam movement. Abdur Rehman bagged two for 41 from his full quota, but Shahid Afridi not just delivered eight wicketless overs for 37 runs, but didn’t the opportunity to entertain a handful of enthusiastic diehards who had come to see some late fireworks.
Sadly, they had to head back disappointed as the inform Pakistan young gun Asad Shafiq and Hasan Raza presided over the final rites after Imran Farhat had done his bits at the top with stroke-filled 49 from 56 deliveries with the aid of eight hits to the fence. Younis made 18 from 29 balls with three boundaries until falling to the occasional off-spin of Faisalabad-born batsman Mohammad Sami.
But Asad nonchalantly passed 50 for the fourth time in many matches of the ongoing event to strike six fours and one six in a 53-ball innings. Hasan, the former Pakistan batsman, carved 11 boundaries in scoring 69 from 79 deliveries in the unfinished partnership that yielded 116 runs in 124 balls.
Meanwhile, having opted to bat fist, the SBP batsmen found the going pedestrian against a PIA attack before folding up for 196 in 45 overs. Discarded Pakistan seamer claimed three for 37 as just wicket-keeper Gulraiz Sadaf (57 off 80 with six fours while opening the innings), Rameez Raja (42 off 50, six boundaries) and Adnan Raees (44 not out off 47, four fours) got going.
The chase was a casual affair as the left-handed pair of Kamran Sajid (an undefeated 73 off 119 balls, seven fours) and Agha Sabir (72 off 78, 12 boundaries) set up the win with a stand of 118.
Results:
Group ‘B’: At National Stadium, Karachi: Pakistan International Airlines beat State Bank of Pakistan by eight wickets. STATE BANK OF PAKISTAN 196 in 45 overs (Gulraiz Sadaf 57, Adnan Raees 44 not out, Rameez Raja 42; Aizaz Cheema 3-37, Salman Saeed 2-35, Adeel Malik 2-37); PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES 197-2 in 41.2 overs (Kamran Sajid 73 not out, Agha Sabir 72, Shoaib Malik 23, Faisal Iqbal 22 not out, Hasan Mahmood 2-51). At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: Habib Bank Limited beat United Bank Limited by seven wickets. UNITED BANK LIMITED 200 in 47.5 overs (Kashif Bhatti 71, Mohammad Irshad 28, Itmad-ul-Haq 26, Saad Surkhail 25; Aslam Qureshi 4-34, Ehsan Adil 3-39, Abdur Rehman 2-41); HABIB BANK LIMITED 203-3 in 37.1 overs (Hasan Raza 69 not out, Asad Shafiq 51 not out, Imran Farhat 49).