One-day Cup: Ahmed, Kashif star as SSGC rout SNGPL

KARACHI: Pacer Ahmed Jamal and left-arm spinner Kashif Bhatti shared seven wickets between them to enable Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to demolish the Quaide-i-Azam Trophy champions Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) by nine wickets in the third round of the National One-day Cup for departments here at UBL Sports Complex on Monday.

Ahmed (4-28) and Nawabshah-born Kashif (3-12) ripped through SNGPL batting, folding them for only 71 in 17.5 overs.Test cricketer Asad Shafiq (15) and international stumper Mohammad Rizwan (14) were the prominent contributors. SSGC chased the target in 15th over after losing one wicket. Test opener Sami Aslam (39*) and Muzammil Nizam (30*) remained not out. The left-handed Sami smashed three fours and two sixes from 43 balls while Muzammil smacked four fours from 40 deliveries. This was the second win for SSGC while SNGPL also have two wins to their credit in the eight-team affair being held under a single league system with the leading four sides progressing to the semi-finals.

In other outing here at State Bank of Pakistan Ground defending champions Habib Bank Limited (HBL) once again flopped when they were comprehensivly beaten by Pakistan Television by ten wickets.

After being invited to bat first HBL perished for only 113 in 36.5 overs with opener Salman Afridi scoring 50 off 85 balls. The talented batsman smashed four fours.Skipper Ahmed Shehzad, who was ignored for Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand, fell without scoring while test discard Imran Farhat got out for 12.

Left-arm spinners Samiullah (3-8) and Saud Shakeel (3-23) did the damage. PTV raced to the target in 18th over without losing a wicket. Mohammad Yasir made 59 off 49 deliveries, striking eight fours and two sixes. Nihal Mansoor chipped in with 55-ball 56 which featured ten fours and one six.

In other showdown here at NBP Sports Complex, WAPDA romped to their second victory in the event after overwhelming Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) by 44 runs. Zahid Mansoor struck a solid 88-ball 90 to enable WAPDA to post 277-9. Zahid shared 97 runs for the third wicket stand with skipper Salman Butt who belted 63-ball 48 with four fours. Zahid hammered nine fours and three sixes. Khushdil Shah smashed 49-ball 44 with one four and two sixes. In response, KRL were restricted to 233-8 with Junaid Ali (67) and Jahid Ali (57) sharing 100 for the second wicket association. Junaid clobbered five fours from 74 balls. Jahid smashed three fours from 89 deliveries. Left-arm test pacer Wahab Riaz bowled with greatvariety, picking 4-48 in ten overs. Spinner Mansoor Amjad got 2-40. United Bank Limited (UBL) recorded their third straight win when they whipped National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) by 94 runs at Niaz Stadium Hyderabad thanks to splendid centuries from test cricketer Shan Masood and Sohaib Maqsood.

Sohaib (112) and Shan (105) guided UBL to pile-up 344-3 in 47 overs as the game was reduced due to delayed start.Shan, who hit eight fours from 121 balls, added 168 for the third wicket partnership with Sohaib who hammered eight fours and six sixes in his aggressive 67-ball knock.

Earlier Shan put on 148 for the second wicket with Umar Akmal who belted a quick-fire 67-ball 97 which had ten fours and five sixes.Altaf Ahmed and left-arm spinner Kamran Ghulam got one wicket each. In response, NBP were restricted to 250-7 with test cricketer Qaiser Abbas (57*) and Naved Yasin (50) scoring fifties.Muridke-born Qaiser, who has played one test against England in 2000, smashed seven fours and one six from 62 balls. Naved cracked six fours from 61 deliveries. Kamran Ghulam (44) and Raza Hasan (42) also contributed substantially with the bat. Off-spinner Ashiq Ali claimed 2-51.