Requiring a mammoth 344 to win after resuming on 123 for two, SNGPL’s innings only lasted another 28.5 overs with Sarfraz Ahmed wrecking the innings, claiming four for 36.
After Kashif Raza dismissed Naeemuddin for 80, Ahmed took over as SNGPL collapsed to 186 all out with no batsmen offering any resistance. Wapda had scored 227 in the first-innings before Ahmed and Kashif Raza shared nine wickets between them to bundle out SNGPL for 141.
With a lead of 86, Ali Azmat and Aamer Sajjad hit half-centuries to take Wapda to 257 as they set a tough target for SNGPL. Ahmed, who finished with eight wickets in the match, increased his tally to 35 in seven games.
Wapda are placed third in the table with 54 points and need a convincing win in their last match and hope other results go their way before the final on January 12.
ZTBL draw with PIA
ZTBL managed to escape with a draw against PIA after being reduced to 195 for seven, needing another 61 to win at the Iqbal Stadium.
Zohaib Khan hit 50 and Imran Nazir hit a typically-quick 34 off 28 balls but the efforts were not enough as PIA struck regularly.
Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik, who hit an unbeaten 108 in PIA’s first-innings total of 287, took two for 38 as ZTBL struggled for runs.
ZTBL scored 238 in their first innings before PIA responded with 206.
PIA, whose earlier match against Karachi Blues was postponed, lie fifth and will play two matches before the final while ZTBL are placed fourth with one game left.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2010.
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