Kamran shines as NBP triumph

Keeper Kamran Akmal hits 70 runs as HBL lose in Quaid Trophy.

Kamran Akmal hit an unbeaten half-century as NBP defeated HBL by seven wickets in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy. Akmal hit 70 off just 62 balls as NBP overhauled the 153-run target in the 35th over. HBL were bowled out for 116 in the first-innings before NBP took a 70-run lead. Imran Farhat hit a hundred to take HBL to 226 but the target did not prove enough.

Malik continues good form

Former captain Shoaib Malik followed up his century with a fifty as PIA managed 193 for eight against ZTBL in the second-innings at the Iqbal Stadium. Malik made 55 as PIA gained a lead 242.

Blues defeat Multan

Karachi Blues registered their second win of the tournament after beating Multan by eight wickets. Multan, facing a first-innings deficit of 200, were bowled out for 249 before Karachi overhauled the target for the loss of two wickets. Tabish Khan finished with 11 wickets in the match.

Islamabad humiliate Sialkot

Islamabad beat Sialkot by an innings and 50 runs. Islamabad, who made 319 in the first-innings, bundled out Sialkot for 131 and then enforced the follow-on before dismissing them for 138.

Fakhir Hussain took eight wickets in the match while Nasarullah claimed five for 34 in the second-innings.

Babar takes Rawalpindi through

In a low-scoring affair, Rawalpindi were indebted to Babar Naeem as they overhauled the 126-run target to beat Faisalabad by seven wickets at the Pindi Stadium.

Naeem faced 83 deliveries as he stood tall on a pitch that saw neither side cross 160 in the four innings. Faisalabad made 153 before Rawalpindi took a seven-run lead. Faisalabad were then destroyed by Sadaf Hussain who took six for 40 to finish with a match-haul of 11 for 104.

SNGPL face huge task

SNGPL faced a mammoth task as they needed another 221 to win on the final day against Wapda. Naeemuddin was unbeaten on 74 as SNGPL reached 123 for two.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2010.