WAPDA move closer to final spot

KARACHI: Despite setting small targets for their opponents, defending champions WAPDA and former champions Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) pulled off splendid victories due to lethal bowling in their crucial games on the fourth and final day of their second round fixtures of the Super Eight stage of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy on Tuesday.

WAPDA defeated United Bank Limited (UBL) by 57 runs, their second straight win that put them on the verge of qualifying for the final as they rose to 16 points at the Group B summit.The result left UBL at six points. Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), the other side of the group, also have six points. Both SSGC and UBL will have to beat their rivals with an innings margins in the last round if they are to press for the final spot from Group B.

But WAPDA’s coach Zahid Umar was confident that they would qualify for the final. “What we need now is to play our last round game against SSGC positively. We don’t care for what UBL do in their game against KRL. If we played our own match against SSGC well then we would qualify as we have already beaten UBL,” Zahid told ‘The News’ after his team’s glorious victory.He said that the body language of his side was great. “I will give credit to both the bowlers and the batsmen. The team is ambitious and wants to do something excellent,” Zahid added.

“Our batsman Mohammad Saad has scored three centuries in this season. You know conditions are very tough for batting. Both the ball and pitches are bowlers’ friendly and scoring runs in this situation is really tough,” the official said.

In the Group I outing, SNGPL put Lahore Whites out of title contention by beating them with a 72-run margin to take their points to 12 at the group summit.

In the WAPDA-UBL clash here at the NBP Sports Complex, chasing 189, UBL were folded for only 131 in their second innings.International Mohammad Nawaz scored 33 off 89 balls, smashing two fours.Sohaib Maqsood (20) hit two fours from 22 balls. Umar Akmal, who fell for nought in the first innings, once again failed to perform, losing his wicket only on 14.

Left-arm paceman Waqas Maqsood (4-37) and off-spinner Zahid Mansoor (4-32) bowled well.Waqas finished the game with 7-104 and Zahid wrapped-up with match figures of 6-60.WAPDA had scored 243 and 220. UBL had posted 275 in their first innings.

In the Group I encounter at Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad, SNGPL thwarted Lahore Whites’ threats and bowled them out for only 88 in their second innings while chasing 161.For Lahore Whites, who had resumed their second innings at 35-2, Anas Mehmood scored 25-ball 21 which featured one four and two sixes. Skipper Usman Salahuddin (17), left-handed Fahad-ul-Haq (13) and Amir Hamza (11) were the only others who entered double figures.

The real heroes for SNGPL were Test pacer Mohammad Abbas (5-44) and his fellow pacer Azizullah (4-40) who shared nine wickets between them to gift their side their maiden victory.Abbas finished the match with 7-110, while Azizullah returned with excellent match-tally of 9-100.

SNGPL posted 411 and 93. Lahore Whites piled up 344 in their first innings.This was the second successive loss for Lahore Whites and it means their interest in the event has now ended.The next round which will begin from Friday will decide the two finalists.

Points Table

Teams P W L D Points

Group–I

SNGPL 2 1 0 1 12

HBL 2 1 0 1 10

Lahore Blues 2 1 1 0 9

Lahore Whites 2 0 2 0 0

Group–II

WAPDA 2 2 0 0 16

SSGC 2 1 1 0 6

UBL 2 1 1 0 6

KRL 2 0 2 0 0