KARACHI: Mohammad Waqas struck a fine unbeaten 71 to guide Omar Associates to 145-4 in their first innings against Khayaban-e-Amin on the second day of their three-day semi-final of the Patron’s Trophy Grade-II at LCCA Ground, Lahore, on Tuesday. After the first day’s play was abandoned due to rain, ultimately the game started after lunch on the second day with Khayab-e-Amin asking Omar Associates to bat first. After losing three quick wickets for only 30, 24-year-old Waqas stabilised the innings. He smashed seven fours and two sixes in his 92-ball knock. Karachi-born Waqas dominated the 52-run fourth wicket stand with Saeed Mudabbir (11). He then added 63 with Fahad-ul-Haq (25*) for the fifth wicket unbroken association to take the Karachi-based side to a comfortable position in 32 overs. Fahad hammered three fours off 30 balls. Babar Khan got 2-44, while Majid Ali picked 2-36. The first innings was reduced to 63 overs a side due to delayed start to the second day’s play after the first day’s play had been abandoned without a ball being bowled. Sources told ‘The News’ that the weather in Lahore was still cloudy and there was chance of further rain on Wednesday (today). If more time is wasted due to bad weather, the first innings overs will be further reduced in a bid to produce a result. Zaheer Ahmed and Farooq Ali Khan are supervising the match. Iftikhar Ahmed is the match-referee. Sialkot received more rain on Monday night that forced the umpires to call off the second day’s play as well of the semi-final between K-Electric and Karachi Port Trust (KPT) at Jinnah Stadium. A team source said that more rain complicated the situation and it was likely that the third day’s play would also be abandoned. If on Wednesday (today), too, the play was not possible the match would be rescheduled. As per rules, both teams must get at least 25 overs in their first innings for the result to have a legal status. Ihtasham-ul-Haq and Rashid Riaz are umpires for the match, while Ameeruddin Anasri is the referee.
