Pacers help WAPDA thump KRL

KARACHI: Test discard Mohammad Asif bowled lethally while Khalid Usman scored a fighting 86 to enable WAPDA to inflict an innings and seven runs defeat on Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) inside two days in their first round Group II outing of the Super Eight stage of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy here at the State Bank of Pakistan Ground on Monday.
Asif, who returned to competitive cricket a couple of years back after serving a five-year suspension for spot-fixing, captured 6-23 in 11 overs to dismiss KRL for only 65 in 28.4 overs after they had conceded 72 runs lead.
Asif finished the game with 7-45. He was backed well by left-arm pacer Waqas Maqsood, who claimed 3-9 in 9.4 overs to end the show with 12-41. Saif Badar (22), Jaahid Ali (19) and Usman Arshad (16) were the only batsmen to manage double figures.
Earlier, in response to KRL’s first innings total of 95, WAPDA resumed their innings at 96-6 and were folded for 167 in 49.3 overs.Khalid Usman, who hails from Peshawar, hammered splendid 86 after resuming from his overnight score of 41.
Khalid smashed 11 fours and two sixes in his 115-ball knock.Aamer Sajjad (19) fell after adding only one run to his overnight score.Left-arm pacer Sadaf Hussain bowled well, finishing with 5-51 in 17 overs. Ahmed Bashir claimed 3-43 in 15 overs. Yasir Ali picked 2-25 in 10.3 overs.
WAPDA’s Kamran Akmal also completed 800 catches in the show by grabbing seven behind the stumps, becoming the first Asian to do so.In the other meeting of this group, at Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad, Fawad Alam led from the front, scoring unbeaten 123 to enable Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to gain lead as they reached 273-8 after resuming at 31-2 in response to United Bank Limited’s (UBL) total of 252.
After losing the top four wickets cheaply, Fawad, who hammered 13 fours from 214 balls, added 109 for the fifth wicket with Muzammil Nizam, who managed 39 off 121 balls, hitting three fours.
He then put on 89 for the

seventh wicket with Kashif Bhatti, who chipped in with 51 off 68 balls, striking seven fours and a six. This was Fawad’s 27th first class century.Test pacer Sohail Khan, who blew the top order, claimed 3-69 from 23 overs.
Left-arm medium pacer Mir Hamza clinched 2-62 in 27 overs. In a Group I outing, here at NBP Sports Complex, former champions Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) piled up 511 all out in their first innings after resuming at 264-2 against Habib Bank Limited (HBL).
Khurram Shehzad, who was batting on 113, fell for 133, which came off 248 balls and had 11 fours and five sixes. Test cricketers Iftikhar Ahmed (93) and Asad Shafiq (78) then put on 121 for the fourth wicket stand to further boost the score.
Iftikhar hit seven fours from 173 balls. Asad smacked five fours from 154 deliveries. SNGPL’s last six wickets fell for just 58 runs because of splendid bowling from gentle medium-pacer Ammad Butt, who pulled off his career-best figures of 6-106. Left-arm Test spinner Abdul Rehman got 3-194.
HBL, in reply, were 23-1 at stumps. In the other Group I meeting, here at UBL Sports Complex, Lahore Blues were in commanding position against Lahore Whites.After conceding a 140 runs lead, Lahore Whites were reeling at 151-5 in their second innings. Anas Mehmood (54) and tail-ender Umaid Asif (50) showed some resolve.
Test discard Aizaz Cheema captured 4-31, taking his tally in the match to 8-74.Earlier, in response to Lahore Whites’ first innings score of 141, Lahore Blues resumed at 150-4 and were bowled out for 281 in 75.1 overs. Tayyab Tahir (83) and Hafiz Saad Nasim (83) continued their partnership, scoring 130 for the fifth wicket.
Tayyab hit 12 fours from 134 balls and Saad struck nine fours and one six. Farhan Khan then scored fine 55 off 93 balls, hitting nine fours. Irfan Haider contributed valuable 21 off 52 balls, which had three fours. Medium pacer Umaid Asif was the pick of the bowlers with 4-73. Waqas Ahmed (3-106) and left-arm spinner Mohammad Irfan (2-24) were the other successful bowlers.