Jamal century takes HBL into semi-finals

KARACHI: Stumper Jamal Anwar smashed his maiden ton in List A career to enable Habib Bank Limited (HBL) to make it to the semi-finals as they demolished Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) by 166 runs in the second quarter-final of the Quaid-e-Azam One-day Cup at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Sunday.

The 27-year-old Rawalpindi-born Jamal smashed 119 to help HBL pile up 320-8 in the allotted 50 overs.Medium fast bowler Ammad Butt (4-42) and former left-arm Test spinner Abdur Rehman (3-31) did a fine job with the leather to dismiss SSGC for only 154.

After being invited to bat by SSGC skipper Umar Amin, HBL’s batting line-up did a marvellous job to post the huge total. Right-handed Jamal hit 14 fours and two sixes in his 124-ball knock. He added 89 runs for the third wicket with discarded international Umar Akmal, who chipped in with 45-ball 56.

Umar, seeking international return, smacked three sixes and seven fours in his fantastic fifty which came off just 43 balls.Jamal, who reached his fifty off 56 balls and 100 off 115 deliveries, shared 77 for the fourth wicket with Rameez Aziz, who struck 46. Rameez hammered five fours from 40 deliveries.

All-rounder Zohaib hit 30 off just 13 balls, striking three fours and two sixes.HBL plundered 90 runs in their last ten overs.Test discard Sohail Khan was the pick of the bowlers as he got 3-76 in his ten overs.

Left-arm Test pacer Mohammad Amir claimed 2-48 in nine overs. Left-arm young pace-man Zia-ul-Haq, who was hit by Jamal for one six and two fours in the 44th over that fetched 16 runs, got 2-67 in eight overs.

In response, SSGC put up a disappointing show with the bat and were folded far behind the target in only 34 overs.Discarded international Fawad Alam (59) was the only batsman who played with some grace, smacking six fours in his 68-ball knock.

He shared 45 for the third wicket with skipper Umar Amin, who chipped in with 39-ball 26 which had four hits to the fence. Fawad put on 57 for the fourth wicket with Adil Amin (21), who smashed four fours from 39 balls. Adil survived a hard caught and bowled chance off the first ball he faced. SSGC lost their last five wickets for only 17 runs.

The 23-year-old Ammad, from Sialkot, not only picked up the prized scalp of Fawad but also sent three other batsmen to the pavillion in quick succession.He was ably backed by spinners Abdur Rehman (3-31) and Agha Salman, who picked the precious wickets of opener Awais Zia (17) and Umar Amin.

Tahir Shah and Nasir Hussain Junior supervised the match. Adnan Rashid was the reserve umpire, Ali Naqvi the match referee and Riazuddin the television umpire. Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) will lock horns with Multan in the third quarter-final at the same venue on Monday (today).