Report

Big wins for Panthers, National Bank

A round-up of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Gold League matches on December 16, 2014

File photo: Mohammad Nawwaz finished with a match haul of 11 for 93  •  ICC/Getty

File photo: Mohammad Nawwaz finished with a match haul of 11 for 93  •  ICC/Getty

A first-innings century from Aimal Khan and a 10-wicket match haul from the fast bowler Azizullah helped Peshawar Panthers crush Multan Tigers by an innings and 75 runs at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Batting first, Panthers posted 403 in their first innings, thanks to Aimal's unbeaten 113, as well as fifties from Mehran Ibrahim (63) and Akbar Badshah (76). Majid Ali was the pick of Tigers' bowlers, collecting 6 for 92. Tigers' reply was poor, as apart from Kashif Naved (45) and Gulraiz Sadaf (43), no other batsman was able to score more than 8. Azizullah took 7 for 52 to wreck Tigers' line-up and bowl them out for 113 inside 36 overs. With a 290-run lead in hand, Panthers enforced the follow-on, and Tigers once again failed to get going, as they were pegged back by wickets at regular intervals. Abdul Rehman Muzammil top-scored with 82, but did not receive much by way of support, as the team was bundled out for 215. Azizullah followed his first-innings heroics with 3 for 45 in the second, while Taj Wali picked up 5 for 78, increasing his tally for the match to eight.
Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz finished with a match haul of 11 wickets, as National Bank of Pakistan thumped Port Qasim Authority by 135 runs in Karachi. Opting to bat, National Bank were guided by fifties from Bilal Qureshi (62) and Akbar-ur-Rehman (72), which helped the team to 249. Tabish Nawab was Port Qasim's most incisive bowler, taking 5 for 65. Port Qasim, though, performed miserably in their reply, being bowled out for 91 in 38.1 overs. Apart from Shahzaib Hasan and Daniyal Ahsan, no other batsman was able to contribute more than 9, as Nawaz took 7 for 31 to give National Bank a massive 158-run lead. National Bank lost quick wickets in their second essay to stumble to 99 for 5, but Qaiser Abbas raised a 12th first-class ton, hitting 111, to drive the team to 279 and set Port Qasim 438 for victory. Ahsan powered Port Qasim's chase by scoring 102, and Umar Amin pitched in with 81, but no other player was able to notch a score that seriously threatened hunting down such a large total. Nawaz and Mohammad Asghar both took four wickets each to bowl Port Qasim out for 302 and seal the win inside 115 overs.
An all-round performance from Ali Zahid set up United Bank Limited's 72-run victory against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited in Karachi. It was United Bank who made the early running in the game, as 90 from Ammar Hasan, as well as handy forties from Ali Asad and Naved Sarwar pushed the team to 254, despite a seven-wicket haul from Kashif Daud (7 for 30). United Bank then earned a 69-run lead by bowling out ZTBL for 185. Ammar Mahmood (55) was the only player to raise a half-century, as Rumman Raees (4 for 49) and Zahid (3 for 32) dismissed ZTBL in 73.2 overs. Zahid followed up that bowling performance with a crucial 55 in the second innings, as that knock, coupled with a handy 43 from the opener Umair Khan helped United Bank to 214, setting ZTBL 284. ZTBL, though, were unable to get going as Zahid (5 for 61) and Adil Raza (4 for 83) kept delivering regular blows. Zohaib Khan top-scored with 98, but the team's next highest contribution was their captain Iftikhar Anjum's 32 all the way down at No.10, as they were bundled out for 211 in 59.1 overs.