Punjab Badshahs edge Federal United in thriller

KARACHI: The top order batted well to guide Punjab Badshahs to a three-wicket win over Federal United in their opening game of the Pentangular Cup One-day Tournament 2014-15 here at the National Stadium on Monday.
Ali Waqas slammed 99 off 98 deliveries to enable Punjab Badshahs to achieve the 313-run target with two balls to spare after losing seven wickets.
After losing Nasir Jamshed (15), Ali Waqas and Shahid Yousuf (75) batted extremely well on the flat track, adding 146 runs off 147 balls for the second wicket to pave the way for a much-needed win.
Test left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman finally gave a breakthrough to Federal United when he dislodged the 28-year-old Shahid to leave Punjab Badshahs at 174-2 in 34.4 overs. Shahid tried to pull the short-length delivery, which pitched on the middle and leg, but managed only to slice it to substitute Shan Masood.
Ali, who hit two sixes and 11 fours in his outstanding knock, then put on 59 runs for the third wicket with Umar Akmal (70) before he fell, caught by Kamran Akmal off lanky Test pacer Umar Gul.
Umar Akmal departed after compiling 42 for the fourth wicket with skipper Haris Sohail (12), leaving Badshahs at 275-4 in 43.4 overs.
Umar Akmal, who was caught by Kamran off Awais Zia, banged three sixes and six fours from 50 deliveries.
In the meantime Haris Sohail got run out after facing 11 balls. However, Saad Nasim played a useful innings of 17-ball 21 with two fours and Imad Wasim smashed seven from eight balls with one four, but it was Bilawal Bhatti (2) who took the winning run off the fifth ball of the last over from Awais Zia to complete his side’s first victory in the five-team event.
Umar Amin got 2-26 from three overs. Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Abdur Rehman and Awais Zia claimed one wicket each.
After being invited to bat first, skipper Umar Amin led from the front and hammered 110 off 96 balls to guide Federal United to 312-8 in the allotted 50 overs.
After losing Kamran Akmal (0), Imran Farhat (24) and Awais Zia (49) to be 88 for three in 15 overs, Umar Amin added 104 runs for the fourth wicket with Babar Azam (59) to consolidate his team’s position.
Babar, who was caught by Umar Akmal off Wahab Riaz, smashed four fours from 83 balls.
Near the end of the innings, Raza Hasan took four wickets in one over, including a hat-trick.
He took the wickets of Umar Amin, Ali Sarfraz (39) and Sohail Tanvir (0) off three successive balls to complete the first hat-trick of the event.
In the same over, Raza also removed Abdur Rehman (2) to end with figures of 5-61 in ten overs.
Umar Amin hammered nine fours and a six in his splendid knock. Ali Sarfraz struck four fours from 34 deliveries.
Test pacer Wahab Riaz clinched 2-58 in eight overs.
This was the second loss for Federal United. They have two points with a game against Balochistan Warriors in hand.
Ali Waqas was declared the man of the match.
On Tuesday (today), Sindh Knights will face Balochistan Warriors.