Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Super Eight: Ashraf, Butt steer HBL to 197-run win

Take three wickets apiece to help side defeat KRL in second round

KARACHI: Three wickets each by HBL’s Fahim Ashraf and Ammad Butt guided their side to a 197-run win over KRL in the second round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Super Eight at the National Stadium of Karachi yesterday.

KRL, chasing a target of 388 runs, resumed the day 40-2 and could only reach 190 runs as Ashraf and Butt ran riot, while Ramiz Aziz dismissed two batsmen as well.

Sardar Hassan Raza was KRL’s top scorer with his 57-run knock while Syed Junaid Ali (26) and Shoaib Ahmed (23) contributed with important innings.



“We had a good target to defend which helped us bowl at ease,” Butt told The Express Tribune after the match. “Ashraf and I were able to take a couple of wickets and help our side claim the match.”

HBL batsman Inamul Haq, who top-scored with his 86-run knock in his side’s second innings, said that the batsmen are still finding their way in getting accustomed to the pink ball.

“It is a bit difficult to play with the pink ball and we are all getting used to it with more practice. I’m sure that once we get a hang of it we will be able to improve our performances,” he said.



Meanwhile in the other match, a five-wicket haul by Sameen Gul helped UBL defeat NBP by 228 runs at the UBL Sports Complex in Karachi.

NBP, chasing 307, resumed their second innings on 55-3 and lost six wickets after making 78 runs as Gul took five wickets, while Mir Hamza claimed three.



“Today was my day. I was able to take a couple of wickets for my side and that felt really good. I just tried to focus on my line and length and that worked,” Gul told The Express Tribune. “I was well supported by the senior bowlers in the team.”

Hamza, who took four wickets in first innings, credited the batsmen for putting up a strong total and thereby enabling the bowlers to experiment with their bowling. “We tried different swings and length which worked out and we were able to take six wickets in one hour,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2016.

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