KARACHI: 19-year-old fast bowler Sahir eliminated the Associates’ batting unit and took the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) close to an innings victory in their third round President’s Cup Grade-1 match at the UBL Sports Complex on Saturday.
At the end of play on the second day, Sahir Associates trailed at 94/5 in their second innings and avoided defeat by 126 runs behind.
Earlier in the day, WAPDA resumed the first innings at 307/6 but could add 16 more runs to the overnight score for the remaining four wickets, leaving them bowled out for 323 in 89.2 overs.
Mohammad Ammar continued to top the score with 147 off 274 balls, while skipper Khalid Usman was the top scorer with 93.
Razaullah and Khan Saif took 4 wickets each and Bilawal took one wicket for Sahir Associates.
In reply, Sahir Associates bowled out 220 for 103 in 39.2 overs despite skipper Asim Ali Naseer’s half-century.
The skipper fought solo for his side and scored 58 runs off 99 balls with 10 fours. Apart from him, only Mohammad Saleem (21) managed to score a double century.
Mohammad Adil led WAPDA’s bowling charge in the first innings with a four-wicket haul, while Naqeebullah and Zeeshan shared sixes between them.
With a huge advantage in their favour, WAPDA captain Usman Sahir forced the Associates to follow.
Sahir Associates’ batting unit struggled in the second innings as well as they were reduced to 94/5 in 30 overs before stumps were drawn.
Opener Fahad Usman top-scored with 28 off 37 balls, followed by Saleem who resumed his second innings with Bilawal on the final day.
Zeeshan was WAPDA’s best bowler in the second innings as he took 4 wickets for just 18 runs in his 11 overs, while Adil picked up a wicket.
In another third-round President’s Cup Grade-I match, Amat Bhatt’s four-wicket haul helped defending champions Pakistan Television (PTV) fight back against Ghani Glass on day two.
At the end of the second day’s play, the holders were 153/7, leading by 116 runs, with experienced all-rounder Budd and Musa Khan remaining unbeaten on 13 and 2 respectively.
Earlier, PTV were all out for 186 runs at 109/5 as they resumed their first innings with Ghani Glass being all out for 223 runs in 57.2 overs.
No.9 Khurram Shahzad top-scored with 48 off 40 balls, followed by wicketkeeper Yahya Bin Abdul Rahman with 43 off 74 balls.
The duo shared a 46-run partnership for the eighth wicket, which took their total past 200 runs.
Budd led PTV’s bowling with 4 wickets in the first innings, followed by Israr Hussain and Mohammad Ilyas Khan with two scalps each and Musa and Arafat Minhas scalping one each.
Trailing by 37 runs, the defending champions reached 153/7 in 49 overs before the end of day two.
Middle-order batsman Mohammad Suleman top-scored with 45 off 72 balls, while all-rounder Minhas and opener Yasir Khan scored 34 and 30 respectively.
For the Ghani Class side, Mir Hamza and captain Noman Ali took 2 wickets each and Afaq Afridi and Khurram took one wicket each.
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) strengthened their command against home team State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on the second day of their third-round President’s Cup Grade-I match with Shejad Gul’s first-class 5-wicket haul at the SBP Sports Complex here.
Earlier, resuming their first innings from 197/4, SNGPL were all out for 263 in 102.5 overs.
Their leading opener Azaan Awais scored 129 off 295 balls anchored by 16 fours and a six, while skipper Shaun Masood scored 35 off 72 balls.
For SBP, Shahiz Aziz took four wickets for 57 runs in his 23.5 overs, Niaz Khan and Mohammad Ismail took two wickets each and Mohammad Abbas and Qasim Akram took one wicket each.
In turn, SBP’s batting unit folded for 115 in 32.4 overs, despite Rameez Aziz’s dismissal of 43 runs.
Shezad led the bowling charge of SNGPL with five wickets, Shahnawaz Dahani grabbed four wickets and Bilawal Patti claimed one wicket.
With a 148-run advantage in their favour, SNGPL’s top-order faltered in the second innings, with captain Shaun Masood and nightwatchman Mohammad Ali unbeaten on eight and zero respectively to end the day at 23/3.
For SBP, Mohammad Abbas took 2 wickets in the second innings and Niaz Khan took one wicket.
In another third-round President’s Cup Grade-I match, half-centuries from Saad Baig, Waqar Ahmed and Imran Rabiq put Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) ahead against Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) on day two.
At the end of play on day two, KRL were 305/5 for a lead of 61 runs, with Imran and Hamza Nasser unbeaten on 54 and 4 respectively.
Waqar Ahmed remained the top scorer for KRL with a blistering 81 off 107 balls, followed by wicketkeeper batsman Saad Baig’s 80. The duo shared a 162-run partnership for the second wicket and rescued KRL from 12/1.
For OGDCL, Muhammad Imran, Mushtaq Ahmed, Muhammad Husaifa, Jawad Ali and skipper Adil Amin took one wicket each in the first innings.