Jamal stars as HBL enter One-day Cup semis

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

The 27-year old Rawalpindi-born Jamal smashed 119 to shepherd HBL to pile-up 320-8 in the allotted 50 overs. Medium fast bowler Ammad Butt (4-42) and left-arm former 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 who won the toss, HBL's batting line-up did a marvellous job to reach a huge total. Jamal was the centre of attraction as the right-handed batsman showed great temperament on the pitch which did not have any big thing for the bowlers.

Jamal, who hit 14 fours and two sixes in his 124-ball knock, added 89 runs for the third wicket partnership with discarded international Umar Akmal who chipped in with a rapid 45-ball 56. Umar, desperately seeking international return, smacked three sixes and seven fours in his fantastic fifty which came off just 43 balls.

Jamal, who brought in his fifty off 56 balls and 100 off 115 deliveries, then shared 77 for the fourth wicket association with Rameez Aziz who struck 46. Rameez, a useful batsman, hammered five fours from 40 deliveries.

Zohaib, utility allrounder, in the end hit a fiery 13-ball 30 which contained three fours and two sixes. HBL plundered 90 runs in the last ten overs. Test discard Sohail Khan was the pick of the bowlers with 3-76 in his quota of ten overs. Left-arm Test pacer Mohammad Amir, who was dropped from Pakistan's side for the recent Test series against Australia, claimed 2-48 in nine overs. Left-arm young paceman 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 required 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 then put on 57 for the fourth wicket association with Adil Amin (21) who smashed four fours from 39 balls. Adil also survived a hard caught and bowled chance off the first ball he faced. SSGC lost their last five wickets inside 17 runs.

The 23-year old Ammad was a real tormentor for SSGC. The Sialkot boy not only picked up the prized scalp of Fawad but then sent three more to the pavillion in quick succession to put SSGC out of the event.

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 to break the back of SSGC. 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).