Rameez helps HBL stage fightback against WAPDA

By Alam Zeb Safi

December 11, 2016

KARACHI: Rameez Aziz hit a fighting 90 while tail-enders Fahim Ashraf and Abdur Rehman played useful innings to lift Habib Bank Limited (HBL) from 21-6 to 236 all out in their first innings on the opening day of their five-day day-night final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy against WAPDA here at the National Stadium on Saturday.

After the initial inroads made by WAPDA’s pace duo of Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Irfan, it was Rameez who prevented the two-time former champions HBL from utter humiliation. The 26-year-old left-hander from Karachi exhibited his fine batting skills and enabled his side pile up a respectable total in 82.1 overs on the pitch which was not difficult for batting.

Rameez hit seven fours and one six off left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar in his superb knock. He was the last man dismissed when he was removed by Test pacer Mohammad Asif.

Rameez added 84 runs for the seventh-wicket stand with fast bowler Fahim Ashraf who struck 44 off 79 deliveries. Fahim, who was caught by left-arm spinner Khalid Usman off his own bowling, hit six fours from 79 balls. HBL were at that stage 105-7. Young all-rounder Ammad Butt (21) then gave ample support to Rameez before he was bowled by Khalid to leave HBL at 137-8.

At this stage, it seemed that HBL would not be able to cross the 200-run mark but Test cricketer Abdur Rehman played the captain’s knock by scoring 53 off 92 balls to further build up the total. He fell prey to left-arm fast bowler Waqas Maqsood after hitting six fours. The ninth-wicket stand between Rameez and Rehman was 99 runs.

After being invited to bat first, HBL had a disastrous going as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

In the second over of the innings, Mohammad Asif removed opener Fakhar Zaman (4) through a beautiful delivery that was pitched on the off-stump and nipped in sharply to the left-hander who came forward before it went through the gap and hit the middle stumps. Asif then had in-form opener Imam-ul-Haq (5) and Test discard Imran Farhat in one over to leave HBL tottering at 19-3 in eight overs.

Mohammad Irfan then added to the misery of HBL when he had Test cricketer Ahmed Shehzad (10) in the eleventh over of the innings to put WAPDA in a commanding position.

Shehzad, who joined the side on Friday night after featuring in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), struck one four from 35 balls. It was a short delivery and Shehzad went for a pull, got the top edge and caught at mid-on by Waqas Maqsood.

In his next over, Irfan got rid of stumper Jamal Anwar (1) and Mohammad Waqas (0) to leave HBL reeling at 21-6 in 12.4 overs. However, the tail-enders then smartly backed Rameez and guided HBL to a respectable total.

Asif, who produced some excellent deliveries, got 4-29 in 18.1 overs. Irfan picked 3-34 while Khalid Usman claimed 2-40.

WAPDA, in response, were 23 without a loss with skipper Salman Butt batting on 16 and Adnan Raees on three. Salman struck three fours off the 17 balls he faced.

HBL coach Kabir Khan said that the early wet wicket damaged them in the start. “The wicket was a bit wet and we lost the toss which benefitted the opposition as we lost a few quick wickets,” Kabir told ‘The News’.However, he was quick to add that they would try to restrict WAPDA to 300 or 350.

Meanwhile, WAPDA coach Zahid Umar said that their bowlers bowled well with the new ball. “In the start, both Asif and Irfan bowled superbly. Asif gets better and better as the time is progressing and today he bowled exceptionally well,” said Zahid, also a former skipper of WAPDA.“We will try to put as many runs on the board as possible as the track is now suitable for batting,” he added.

Earlier, HBL made two changes in the side that played their last game against United Bank Limited (UBL). They brought in Ahmed Shehzad and left-arm international pacer Usman Shinwari in place of Azeem Ghumman and Zohaib Khan.

WAPDA made one change in the squad that played their last Super Eight game against Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) by bringing in Mohammad Irfan in place of Naseer Akram.

WAPDA won toss

HBL 1st innings

Imam-ul-Haq c Adnan b Asif 5

Fakhar Zaman b Asif 4

Ahmed Shehzad c Waqas b Irfan 10

Imran Farhat lbw b Asif 0

Rameez Aziz c Irfan b Asif 90

†Jamal Anwar c Aamer b Irfan 1

M Waqas (2) lbw b Irfan 0

Fahim Ashraf c & b Khalid 44

Amad Butt b Khalid 21

*Abdur Rehman b Waqas 53