President’s Trophy: SNGPL on the brink of landing title
HBL need another 170 runs with just 4 wickets left.
Farhat remains HBL’s only hope of saving the match in Karachi. PHOTO: FILE AFP
SNGPL closed in on the President’s Trophy title by reducing HBL, chasing 329, to 159 for six at stumps on the fourth day at the National Stadium.
Despite just one result looking possible on the final day, SNGPL coach Basit Ali said that his team cannot get complacent.
“We still have job on our hands to get four more wickets and we can’t relax,” Basit told The Express Tribune. “Anything can happen in cricket. HBL can get a partnership and with Imran Farhat on the crease, we can’t relax. Our aim will be to dismiss them as early as possible.”
HBL got off to a poor start in the second-innings, losing Ahmed Shehzad (10) and partner Shaan Masood early. A 43-run third-wicket partnership between Younus Khan and Asad Shafiq did defy SNGPL for few overs but Younus was dismissed for 25 and Usman Salahuddin followed without opening his account. Shafiq, who made 58 off 105 struck 10 boundaries, then combined with Humayun Farhat (25) to put up a 51-run stand but both were dismissed quickly. At close, Imran was unbeaten on 22 while Abdur Rehman was with him on two. Imran Ali took two wickets while Mohammad Hafeez, Samiullah Niazi, Asad Ali and Ali Khalid dismissed one batsman each.
Earlier, SNGPL could only managed to add five more runs to their overnight total of 177 for nine as they were bowled out for 182 in 63.4 overs.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2013.
Despite just one result looking possible on the final day, SNGPL coach Basit Ali said that his team cannot get complacent.
“We still have job on our hands to get four more wickets and we can’t relax,” Basit told The Express Tribune. “Anything can happen in cricket. HBL can get a partnership and with Imran Farhat on the crease, we can’t relax. Our aim will be to dismiss them as early as possible.”
HBL got off to a poor start in the second-innings, losing Ahmed Shehzad (10) and partner Shaan Masood early. A 43-run third-wicket partnership between Younus Khan and Asad Shafiq did defy SNGPL for few overs but Younus was dismissed for 25 and Usman Salahuddin followed without opening his account. Shafiq, who made 58 off 105 struck 10 boundaries, then combined with Humayun Farhat (25) to put up a 51-run stand but both were dismissed quickly. At close, Imran was unbeaten on 22 while Abdur Rehman was with him on two. Imran Ali took two wickets while Mohammad Hafeez, Samiullah Niazi, Asad Ali and Ali Khalid dismissed one batsman each.
Earlier, SNGPL could only managed to add five more runs to their overnight total of 177 for nine as they were bowled out for 182 in 63.4 overs.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2013.