Four teams begin fight for final berth today

KARACHI: The last round of the Super Eight stage of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2016-17 begins at various venues of Sindh from Saturday (today), which will decide the two finalists of the country’s premier tournament.

The teams that can qualify for the final are WAPDA, Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), Habib Bank Limited (HBL) and the last season’s runners-up United Bank Limited (UBL). The final, a day-night match, will be played from December 10-14 at National Stadium.

At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad, WAPDA take on SSGC in their Group I game which is expected to be an absorbing one. Both teams have 19 points.

Fawad Alam-led SSGC are expected to retain the squad that crushed the three-time winners Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) by an innings and 45 runs in their previous outing here at the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Ground.

“I think we will not make any change in the squad,” an SSGC official told ‘The News’ from Hyderabad.

He said that the pitch would be good for both bowlers and batsmen. “There will be a tough contest between the bat and the ball,” the official said.

SSGC will depend on their skipper Fawad Alam, in-form Asif Zakir, opener Zain Abbas and left-handed international Awais Zia.

Asif, an experienced batsman from Karachi, has scored 811 runs at a staggering average of over 90. He is just 15 runs short of the leading scorer Kamran Akmal of WAPDA who has scored 826.

Asif has struck four centuries with 200 not out his highest score.

Pacers Ahmed Jamal, Zia-ul-Haq, international Aamer Yamin, spinners Zafar Gohar and Mohammad Irfan are the bowling resources with the SSGC whose players have shown great discipline throughout the season.

Salman Butt-led WAPDA, who defeated Karachi Whites by an innings and 80 runs in their previous outing, have emerged as hot favourites. Following introduction of lucrative contracts the department has raised a very good team this season.

Besides in-form Butt, who has been leading the Lahore-based side from the front, Kamran’s and Zahid Mansoor’s contribution with the bat will be crucial.

Paceman Naseer Akram will lead the bowling pack which also has international left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar, left-arm spinner Khalid Usman and leggie Mansoor Amjad.

A WAPDA official told this correspondent that they would decide the final squad before the game on Saturday. He said that all key players, including Kamran, were available.

He also seconded the SSGC’s official opinion that the pitch would support both batsmen and bowlers.

In Group II, here at NBP Sports Complex, HBL will lock horns with UBL.

HBL did not have a very good league round, but they have been exceptional in the Super Eight with two wins, over KRL and NBP, so far and have 15 points.

Abdul Rehman-led HBL feature young batsman Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Zohaib Khan, Test cricketer Imran Farhat and Ramiz Aziz.

All-rounder Ammad Butt, in-form Fahim Ashraf, international pacer Usman Shinwari and Abdul Rehman could be threatening for UBL, who are in a must-win situation as they have nine points, six behind HBL.

UBL, who had lost to SNGPL in the final last year, enjoy the support of some fine batsmen, including Sohaib Maqsood, Test opener Shan Masood, Wajihuddin, Umar Siddiq and Akbar-ur-Rehman.

Their all-rounder Hammad Azam is also in great form. His superb 102 in his team’s 228-run victory in the last game against NBP can be regarded as one of the best innings from any batsman in the competitions so far.

Rookie pacer Sameen Gul and Mir Hamza have done an excellent job for UBL so far. Along with Hammad, they are likely to trouble HBL’s batting in the important match.

In the inconsequential day-night Group I match here at National Stadium, SNGPL, who have had a poor Super Eight stage so far, meet Karachi Whites, the only regional side to have qualified for the main round.

In another inconsequential match, of Group II, here at UBL Sports Complex, KRL will lock horns with NBP.

KRL have the services of Mohammad Abbas, the leading wicket taker (61 wickets) of the tournament.  Karachi Whites’ paceman Tabish Khan follows Abbas with 51 wickets.