KARACHI: Half-centuries from Saad Baig and Waqar Ahmed and five wickets from Arshad Iqbal helped Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) beat Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) by 13 runs.
The win helped KRL set up a climactic clash of the eight-team tournament with Pakistan Television (PTV) at the same venue on Thursday.
Batting first in a high-stakes match, KRL piled up 255 runs before being bowled out in 49.4 overs.
KRL got off to a poor start to their innings as opener Shazaib Khan (10) fell to Mohammed Salman for 16 runs.
Following an early setback, Waqar joined Sath in the middle and the duo made an astonishing recovery by adding 113 runs for the second wicket, which saw both batsmen score half-centuries.
Salman scored 77 runs off 83 balls with the help of 12 boundaries to dismiss Saath and break the stand of over a century.
Waqar then put on a one-sided 30-run partnership with captain Iftikhar Ahmed (five) before posting a 79-run stand with middle-order batsman Ahmed Hasan, who made a notable contribution with 43 off 45 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes.
This partnership followed a sharp decline as KRL lost six remaining wickets for 22 runs and were bowled out in the last over.
Waqar was the top scorer with 94 off 115 balls with 8 fours and a six.
Salman was the best bowler for the SNGPL, returning a sensational 6/42 from his 10 overs, followed by Athar Mehmood with two, Shahnawaz Dahani and Sajid Khan with one scalp each.
Chasing 256, SNGPL fell miserably as they were bowled out for 242 in 48.2 overs despite half-centuries from Umair bin Yusuf and Saad Khan.
Saad was the highest scorer with a cautious 66 off 81 balls, while Omair scored 57 off 8 balls and a six.
Captain Shaun Masood scored 37 off 35 balls, followed by Kamran Ghulam’s 34, but Arshad’s five-wicket haul meant their efforts were not in vain.
Arshad led KRL’s bowling with economy figures of 5/43 from his 10 overs. Hamza Nasser chipped in with two scalps, while Ahmed Basheer and skipper Iftikhar scored once each.