KARACHI: Hard-hitting discarded international Shahzaib Hasan’s ruthless hundred put Karachi Whites in the final as they crushed Islamabad by 70 runs in a high-scoring semi-final of the National One-day Cup for Regions here at National Stadium on Monday.
Shahzaib, who has played three One-day Internationals, smashed his career-best 171 to enable Karachi Whites to pile up 375-6 in their 50 overs.
International all-rounder Anwar Ali produced his career-best figures of 5-49 to dismiss Islamabad for 305 in 48.1 overs.
It was a perfect day for the Karachi-born, 27-year-old Shahzaib who tore apart Islamabad’s bowling line-up with tremendous power-hitting and completed his fifth century in his 59th List A outing.
Shahzaib played shots towards all sides of the ground. He hammered 18 fours and seven huge sixes in his 117-ball knock before being bowled by medium pacer Hamza Nadeem.
Shahzaib’s fifty came off 31 balls, 100 off 93 balls and 150 off 106 deliveries.
Shahzaib, who got two chances, shared 162 for the second wicket with skipper Akbar-ur-Rehman (58), who was caught in the deep by a substitute fielder off the bowling of young off-spinner Arsal Sheikh. Akbar struck three fours in his 85-ball fifty.
Shazaib scored 83 for the third wicket with left-handed Saad Ali (61), who struck three sixes and four fours from only 45 deliveries.
Anwar Ali (45) and veteran first-class cricketer Tariq Haroon (31*) enabled the hosts to reach the highest total at this venue in one-day events.
Anwar struck one four and four sixes in his fiery 28-ball knock. Tariq hammered three fours and a six from only 18 deliveries.
Medium fast bowler Shehzad Azam Rana was the pick of the bowlers with 3-81 in nine overs.
Hamza Nadeem and Arsal Sheikh got one wicket each.
In response, Islamabad lost Test cricketer Ahmed Shehzad (15) and Sarmad Bhatti (3) in quick succession.
Test opener Shan Masood (136) led Islamabad’s chase with his career-best knock but failed to take his side home.
Kuwait-born 27-year old Shan, who has played nine Tests, added 99 for the third wicket with stumper Abid Ali, who hit 53-ball 59, smashing five fours and one six. Abid fell prey to a direct throw from Tabish Khan that crashed the stumps with the young batsman far away from his crease at the non-striker’s end.
Shan, who hit 15 fours and two sixes in his fourth century in this form of cricket, added 99 more runs for the fourth wicket with Faizan Riaz (29), who smacked three fours from 37 balls.
Rookie left-arm pacer Ghulam Mudassir took the prized scalp of Faizan, caught at deep mid-wicket by Anwar Ali.
Left-arm spinner Azam Hussain then had Shan trapped lbw, which left Islamabad struggling at 256-5. Shan reached his fifty off 53 balls and 100 off 93 deliveries. Anwar Ali blew the rest of the batting line as Islamabad lost five wickets for just 51 runs.
Ahsan Reza and Ahmed Shahab supervised the match. Shozab Raza served as the television umpire, while Mohammad Javed acted as the match referee.
Peshawar face Karachi Blues in the second semi-final on Tuesday (today) at the same venue. The match starts at 10am.
Islamabad won toss
Karachi Whites
Arsalan Bashir c Shan b Shehzad 2
Shahzaib Hasan b Hamza 171
*Akbar-ur-Rehman c sub (Munir) b Arsal 58
Saad Ali c Zohaib b Shehzad 61
Anwar Ali c Faizan b Shehzad 45
Tariq Haroon not out 31
Danish Aziz run out 0
†M Hasan not out 2
Extras (lb 1, w 1, nb 3) 5
Total (6 wickets; 50 overs) 375
Did not bat: Tabish Khan, Azam Hussain, Ghulam Mudassar
Fall: 1-24, 2-186, 3-269, 4-317, 5-357, 6-363
Bowling: Shehzad 9-0-81-3 (3nb, 1w); Hamza 10-0-60-1; Abdul Majid 10-0-69-0; Arsal 8-0-58-1; Zohaib 6-0-45-0; Faizan 6-0-45-0; Irfan (3) 1-0-16-0
Islamabad
Shan Masood lbw b Azam 136
Ahmed Shehzad c Anwar b Tabish 15
Sarmad Bhatti run out 3
†Abid Ali run out 59
Faizan Riaz c Anwar b Ghulam 29
*Zohaib Ahmed b Anwar 12
M Irfan (3) c Tariq b Anwar 10
Shehzad Azam c Tabish b Anwar 16
Hamza Nadeem c Shahzaib b Anwar 18
Arsal Sheikh b Anwar 0
Abdul Majid not out 0
Extras (lb 2, w 5) 7
Total (all out; 48.1 overs) 305
Fall: 1-39, 2-45, 3-144, 4-235, 5-256, 6-265, 7-274, 8-300, 9-300, 10-305
Bowling: Anwar 9.1-1-49-5 (2w); Tabish 8-0-53-1 (2w); Ghulam 7-0-51-1 (1w); Azam 10-0-54-1; Akbar 5-0-46-0; Danish 9-0-50-0
Result: Karachi Whites won by 70 runs
Umpires: Ahmed Shahab and Ahsan Raza. TV umpire: Shozab Raza. Match referee: M Javed (2)