PIA on course for Quaid Trophy final

State Bank win Division II on seventh day of final.

PIA dominated the opening day of their Quaid-i-Azam Trophy as they first routed Karachi Blues for 146 before taking a nine-run first-innings lead with seven wickets to spare. PIA need a win to qualify for the final and face HBL.

Aizaz Bin Ilyas claimed seven for 65 while Ramiz Raja was the only batsman who offered some resistance as he scored 63 before PIA showed how to bat on the Karachi pitch. Agha Sabir was unbeaten on 74 while Faisal Iqbal was 49 not out as PIA reached 155 for three.

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) won Division-II after beating KRL on the basis of their first-innings lead in their seven-day final. SBP had scored 303 in their first-innings with Naveed Yasin scoring 77 and Yasir Arafat claiming nine for 103.

KRP were bundled out for 159 with Mohammad Naveed taking seven for 61 as SBP were prmoted to Division I for the next edition of the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 7^th, 2011.