Babar Azam’s unbeaten 150 helped SBP get back into the Quaid-e-Azam Silver league final against HBL, finishing the day on 251-3 in their second innings, 57 runs ahead.
It seemed that HBL will be able to win the promotion-decider at a canter when SBP were 6-1 at stumps on day two, with first inning’s top scorer Aamer Yamin back in the hut, still needing 188 runs to make HBL bat again.
Azam and Zafar Gohar started the day with both on nought but made a 64-run partnership before Gohar nicked one through to Humayun Farhat off Kamran Hussain to make it 70-2.
Mukhtar Ahmed then joined Azam in the middle and also provided him with decent support but was bowled by Abdur Rehman to leave the underdogs 131-3, still 63 runs behind. However, skipper Usman Salahuddin, who had confidently stated on day two that his side will get back into the match with a strong batting display in the second innings, was involved in an unbeaten 120-run partnership with Azam to ensure that no more wickets fell in the day.
“I adopted a more cautious approach and spent time on the wicket, which helped me reach at this point,” said Azam, while talking to The Express Tribune after the match. “”I made mistake in the first innings, trying to score quickly by hitting out, which lead me to be bowled early on.”
However, Azam knows that the task at hand is not yet finished. “Me and Salahuddin will try to make as much as we can to set a difficult target to HBL.”
SBP will be hoping to carry on their momentum into day four after they made 245 runs on the third day for the loss of only two wickets. The batting side will be aware that they need a win in order to earn promotion as a draw would mean that HBL go through thanks to their first-innings lead. On the other hand, left arm spinner Abdur Rehman will be hoping to add to his match wickets tally of six as cracks start to appear on the Iqbal Stadium pitch in Faisalabad.
“We are back into the match as we still have seven wickets remaining, and me and Babar are in good touch,” said Salahuddin, whose unbeaten 33 helped him become the highest scorer in the Silver league with 644 runs. “Becoming the top scorer has increased my confidence.”
The skipper remains confident that if the batsmen carry on their good work into day four, then the bowlers will be able to wrap up the match for them. “We will aiming to set a target of at least 250,” said the 24-year-old. “It will be difficult for them to play against us on the fifth day as the pitch will have more turn in it and the spinners will be able to exploit that.”
Salahuddin also feels that momentum is on their side and HBL heads slumped after the resilience they faced on day three. “The HBL team has been fielding for two days; their body language is now poor and they will give more runs away on the fourth day.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 6th, 2014.
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