SBP record win in President’s Trophy

Tabish, Rizwan help bankers clinch seven-wicket win over PQA.

KARACHI: State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) secured their second victory in the President’s Trophy after outclassing Port Qasim Authority (PQA) by seven wickets in their ninth round match at the National Stadium in Karachi.

Seamer Tabish Khan and Rizwan Haider rattled the PQA batting line-up on the penultimate day.

Facing a deficit of 125 runs, PQA were bowled out for 217 runs after resuming the day at 13 for nought.

Tabish grabbed four wickets for 65 while Haider returned figures of 3-57. Abdur Rauf (30) and Umar Amin (29) were the main run getters for PQA as none of their batsmen managed to score a half-century.

Needing 93 runs to win, the bottom-tabled SBP completed the much-needed victory after losing three wickets, with Rameez Raja scoring 33.

UBL in command over PIA

In another match, United Bank Limited (UBL) tightened their grip over Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) at the Southend Club in Karachi.

Captain Atif Maqbool hit an unbeaten 45, while Tariq Haroon struck 58, down the order as UBL earned an 81-run lead, wrapping their innings on 323 all out.

Later, Maqbool and Kashif Bhatti claimed three wickets each to help UBL reduce PIA in their second innings to 149 for seven, leaving them only 68 runs ahead of the bankers with just three of their wickets remaining.

Meanwhile, bad weather ruined Imran Farhat’s heroics as victory seems a difficult task for HBL despite their complete control over Pakistan Television (PTV) as only three overs could be bowled on the penultimate day.

PTV is tottering at 76 for seven as they pursue HBL’s 599 which the bankers had amassed after Farhat struck an unbeaten 300 — second triple century of his first-class career equalling Hanif Muhammad’s tally of two first-class triple tons.

Meanwhile, rain forced the cancellation of play in the tie between SNGPL and KRL at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2014.

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