Quaid Trophy: Rawalpindi triumph over Hyderabad

Naeem, Waheed score vital half-centuries to lead team to six-wicket win.

KARACHI:

An ecstatic Rawalpindi notched a six-wicket win against hosts Hyderabad on the last day of their Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Group-II match at the Niaz Stadium yesterday.

Set a target of 196, Babar Naeem (68) and Umar Waheed (51) struck important half-centuries to help their side to victory as they finished with 199 for four. Hyderabad’s bowling lacked form as the highest wicket-taker was Noman Ali who conceded 74 runs for two.

Earlier, Hyderabad resumed play on day four with 232 for three but were unable to build up on their score as they were bowled out for 320. Rizwan Ahmed top-scored with 64 runs while Aqeel Anjum supported him with a 55-run knock. Rawalpindi’s Nasir Malik dismissed four batsmen while left-arm seamer Sadaf Hussain added three more scalps to his first-innings’ five-wicket haul.  The winning team picked up nine points.

Meanwhile, no play was possible between Lahore Shalimar and Bahawalpur at the LCCA Ground in Lahore as the weather continued playing havoc on the third day running.

So far, Bahawalpur has only managed to make 61 for one in 27.4 overs in the little play which was possible during the troublesome three days.

In Group-I, Adnan Akmal’s 71 runs helped Lahore Ravi salvage a draw against a spirited Islamabad, who were looking for a win on the last day at the Diamond Ground at Islamabad.



Islamabad added eight runs to their overnight total and were bowled out for 352 with a lead of 136 runs. Their attempts to restrict Ravi proved futile as the Lahore-based team survived the bowling attack and ended the day on 178 for eight. Nasarullah Khan and Shahzad Azam bagged two wickets each. Islamabad had to settle for three points for taking a first-inning lead.

Elsewhere, Multan made 77 for three while replying to Quetta’s first-inning total of 210 before weather intervened at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

Winning purse finalised

After delaying the matter for some time, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finally agreed on the winning prize of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

“The winners of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will get Rs1.5million while the runners-up will receive Rs1million,” a PCB official told The Express Tribune.

“We’ve increased the prize money because last year there were two divisions and we wanted to give maximum money to the teams.”

President’s Trophy final to be played at NSK

Meanwhile, the final of the President’s Trophy between SNGPL and HBL will be played here at the National Cricket Stadium from January 14 to 18, according to a PCB official.

“PCB complied with both teams’ requests and put the final on hold,” said the official. “They wanted their best players to return from the India tour to play in the deciding match of the President’s Trophy. Players like Misbahul Haq, Muhammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Younus Khan, Umar Gul and Azhar Ali will be in action in the five-day match.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2013.