Sind complete convincing win

Federal Areas let go of their chance to make it to the final of the Faysal Bank Pentangular Cup, folding for 211 to hand Sind a 144-run win within three days at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Table-toppers Sind will now take on Baluchistan in the final on March 15 in Lahore. Sind's Fawad Alam, who was 174 not out overnight, fell just short of a double-century, giving Iftikhar Anjum a return catch - his sixth wicket of the innings - on 196.

Beginning the day 322 runs ahead with two wickets in hand, Sind set Federal Areas a victory target of 356. With almost two days to go in the match, Federal Areas needed to secure a draw at least in order to draw level with Baluchistan - the No. 2 team on the points table. But a solid bowling performance from Sind prevented any chance they had.

Mohammad Sami picked up four wickets and was supported by Danish Kaneria who took 3 for 67. None of the Federal Areas batsmen were able to build a big innings, the top scorer being wicketkeeper Jamal Anwar - who came in at No.9 - with 44.

A second-innings collapse by Punjab resulted in an easy eight-wicket win for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground.

After Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa registered a 65-run first innings lead, Punjab went to stumps on day two on 8 for no loss. But offspinner Aftab Alam dismissed their openers early on day three and triggered a collapse, the innings folding on 134. None of the Punjab batsmen were able to get past 24, and after Mohammad Naeem and Yasir Shah picked up two apiece, left-arm spinner Khalid Usman ran through the tail, finishing with figures of 4 for 44.

Needing just 70 runs to win, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa played their shots, chasing down the target at over six runs an over. Their eight-wicket win gives Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa nine points - win, plus first innings lead - but that is not enough to propel them into the final on March 15.