Habib Bank score resounding victory

Habib Bank needed only 18.3 overs on the final day to defeat Pakistan Customs by 262 runs in their first-round Group A Quaid-e-Azam Championship match at the National Bank of Pakistan Stadium.

Having reduced Pakistan Customs to 77 for 5 on the third day, Habib Bank began the final day with 308 runs to defend. By the end, Pakistan Customs captain Rehan Rafiq was left holding fort. He batted for over three hours and faced 112 deliveries for his unbeaten 43 as Pakistan Customs were bowled out for 122.

The wickets were evenly spread among Habib Bank's bowlers. Danish Kaneria stood out with figures of 3 for 21 from 11 overs. Fast bowler Fahad Masood took 3 for 30 in 12 overs while Kamran Hussain followed his 5 for 30 in the first innings with 2 for 38. Former Test fast bowler Irfan Fazil got 2 for 28.

Habib Bank will now travel to Hyderabad to play their second-round match against the home side at the Niaz Stadium from Friday. Pakistan Customs will play against first-class debutants Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), in their next four-day match at the NBP Sports Complex Stadium.

Afsar Nawaz scored a splendid hundred to take Karachi Whites to a 50-run lead in the first innings against Hyderabad, on the final day at the Niaz Stadium. The match, however, ended in a dull draw.

Resuming on 386 for 7, Karachi Whites went past Hyderabad's 409 and finished on 459. This gave them three points from the match. In their second innings, Hyderabad batted out time and scored 229 for 6.

Nawaz, who has been playing first-class cricket for a decade now, scored his seventh century. His 108 runs came off 211 balls in just under five hours. Fast bowler Tanvir Ahmed, who scored 50 off 48 balls with nine fours, added 93 runs for the eighth wicket with Nawaz and took Karachi Whites closer to Hyderabad's total. A partnership of 51 between Nawaz and Tabish Nawab (10) for the ninth wicket secured the first-innings lead.

Hyderabad's centurion Rizwan Ahmed also got among the wickets. He picked up 4 for 147 in 42 overs with his legbreaks. In Hyderabad's second innings, Zahid Khan and captain Hanif Malik added 122 for the third wicket. Zahid scored 80 off only 95 balls while Malik contributed 64.

After making a century for Karachi Whites, Nawaz went on to take a career-best of 3 for 19 runs off 10 overs.

Rawalpindi beat Karachi Blues by a convincing margin of 152 runs on the final day of their Group B Quaid-e-Azam Championship match at the United Bank Limited ground.

Needing 230 to win, Karachi Blues were bowled out for 77 inside 39 overs after a sub-standard batting display. Only three batsmen reached double-figures and the wrecker-in-chief was fast bowler Rizwan Akbar, who took 4 for 37, and finished the match with figures of 9 for 84. Mohammad Ayaz, another fast bowler, showed promise on his first-class debut, taking 2 for 38 and 2 for 10.