Quaid-e-Azam trophy: SSGC hoping to bank on HBL’s weakness

Bankers’ struggle for runs not faced by their fifth round opponents

KARACHI: The fifth round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy begins today at Peshawar’s Arbab Niaz Stadium, where HBL will take on SSGC.

In the first four rounds, HBL have won two matches, drawn once and lost once to claim 18 points, while SSGC have a victory and three draws to their name, which gives them a tally of 16 points.

Despite boasting well-known names such as Imran Farhat, Umar Gul, Abdur Rehman, and Fakhar Zaman along with talented newcomers Imamul Haq, Rameez Aziz, Muhammad Waqas and Fahim Ashraf, HBL lost in the previous round to Lahore Blues by six wickets as their batsmen struggled for runs.



In stark contrast, SSGC’s strength is their batting, and with captain Shoaib Malik, Fawad Alam, Umar Amin, Asif Zakir and wicketkeeper Saifullah Bangash on their roster, runs are almost guaranteed.

Hence, in addition to improving their problem area of batting, HBL will also have to work hard with the ball in order to limit the production of SSGC, for whom both Malik and Zakir scored centuries in their drawn match with Karachi Blues in the previous round.



“We have a stronger line-up than HBL, se we’re hoping to win the match and keep our chances of securing an early qualification to the next round high,” Zia told The Express Tribune.

He further said: “Neither Wapda nor Peshawar posted big totals in the last fixture played at this stadium, so it will be a challenge for our batsmen to score big in the first innings.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2016.

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