Azizullah pushes SNGPL near Super Eight berth

KARACHI: Medium pacer Azizullah bagged nine wickets in the match to virtually put SNGPL in the Super Eight stage when they demolished PQA by an innings and 119 runs on the third day of their four-day Group A match of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, on Wednesday.
Peshawar-born Azizullah, who had taken 3-26 in the first innings, got 6-39 in the second innings to enable SNGPL to dismiss PQA for only 69 after they had resumed at 25-4. They had conceded 188 runs lead.
Shahzaib Hasan (19), skipper Khalid Latif (15) and Ali Khan (11) were the only ones to manage double figures.
International pacers Samiullah Niazi and Bilawal Bhatti took two wickets each.
PQA posted 119 in their first innings. In response, SNGPL scored 307.
With their second victory SNGPL moved to 28 points, just one point behind leaders UBL.
Both SNGPL and UBL have almost confirmed their Super Eight berths.
Karachi Whites were in deep trouble against Rawalpindi despite securing 37 runs lead at the Pindi Stadium.
Chasing 182, Karachi Whites were 68-6 at stumps. Opener Jaahid Ali (30) was the only batsman who managed double figures, having hit four fours in his 86-ball innings.
Mohammad Hasan (7*) and Babar Rehman (7*) were at the crease.
Rawalpindi were bowled out for 218 after resuming their second innings at 117-4.
Usman Saeed, who was batting on 41, struck fine 70 with ten fours. He shared 58 runs for the sixth wicket with Yasir Arafat, who hammered 65-ball 47 which had four fours and a six.
Fast bowler Adeel Malik produced his career-best figures of 6-74, for match-haul of 10-128.
Karachi Whites’ coach Tauseef Ahmad was not happy with his side.
“First we bowled badly and then our batsmen batted irresponsibly,” Tauseef told ‘The News’.
“We should have taken at least 100 runs lead, but we did not despite having a good opportunity,” the former Test spinner said.
“It is a pitch on which you need to go for strokes. If you don’t hit shots you will get out as the ball swings and seams a lot here,” he said.
At Marghzar Ground in Islamabad, SSGC were forced to follow-on when they perished for 244 after resuming at 87-4 in response to UBL’s first innings total of 514-8 declared.
Awais Zia (72) and Asif Zakir (62) added 129 for the fifth wicket partnership.
The left-handed Awais struck 13 fours and a six. Asif smacked 11 fours in his fine fifty. Left-arm pacer Mir Hamza picked 4-50.
After follow-on, SSGC were five without loss in their second innings at stumps.
At the LCCA Ground, Lahore, Zohaib Khan struck 108 to enable Peshawar to gain 28 runs lead against Lahore Blues.
Zohaib, who was batting on 54, hammered seven fours in his 251-ball feat as Peshawar piled up 295 after resuming their first innings at 172-4 in response to Lahore Blues’ 267. Ahmed Bashir got 4-67.
Lahore Blues were 83-1 in their second innings at stumps.
At Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad, Hyderabad reached 170-7 in their second innings after claiming 68 runs lead against Islamabad.
Only 43.4 overs game was possible owing to bad light.
Skipper Azeem Ghumman made 60 with 11 fours. Shoaib Leghari was batting on 52 in which he had hit eight fours. Shehzad Azam Rana got 4-27.
HBL set a 313-run target for KRL when after taking 179 runs lead the bankers declared their second innings at 133-8.
Mohammad Waqas scored unbeaten 50 with nine fours. Pacer Mohammad Abbas got 4-56, for match-tally of 10-140.
KRL were struggling at 45-2 in their second innings at close.
At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot, WAPDA reached 214-4 in their second innings after gaining lead of 114 against NBP.
Attiq-ur-Rehman belted 80 with eight fours. He added 73 for the fourth wicket with skipper Aamer Sajjad, who was at the crease on 64 in which he had smacked six fours. Left-arm pacer Zia-ul-Haq claimed 2-57.
At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, left-handed Test opener Sami Aslam (221) slammed his first double hundred to enable Lahore Whites to secure 194 runs lead against FATA when they declared their first innings at 509-9 in response to the tribesmen’s 314.
Sami struck 24 fours in his 435-ball knock. He added 240 for the fourth wicket with skipper Usman Salahuddin (111) who failed to add to his overnight score.
Medium pacer Zeeshan Khan got 3-112. Ibrahim Gul picked 2-74.
FATA were 54-2 in their second innings at stumps.