HBL complete big win over Punjab

Riding on a first-innings total of 531, Habib Bank Limited (HBL) dismissed Punjab for 259 and 215 to complete a rousing innings and 57-run victory at the National Stadium.

Having reduced Punjab to 185 for 6 at stumps on day two, HBL bowled them out for 259 and gladly enforced the follow-on. Irfan Fazil, the right-arm fast medium with two international appearances, picked up 3 for 50, Danish Kaneria 3 for 90, and captain Shahid Afridi backed his 54-ball 86 with 2 for 35.

In their second innings, Punjab fared worse. Only Mohammad Hafeez (40) and Kamran Akmal (37) managed decent scores out of a total of 215, as Pakistan hopeful Abdur Rehman, the left-arm spinner, finished with 5 for 72. Afridi was again in form, with figures of 2 for 32 from ten overs.

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Having taken a first-innings lead of 131 on day two, Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) extended it to 300 with a total of 521 for 7 on day three against the combined b>North West Frontier Province (NWFP)-Balochistan at the United Bank Limited (UBL) Sports Complex. Saeed Bin Nasir extended his overnight 101 to 142 and captain and former international Mohammad Wasim made an unbeaten 108. Before stumps, KRL had nipped out three wickets to leave NWFP on 133 for 3, still 167 runs adrift.

Bin Nasir and Wasim added 121 for the sixth wicket to extend their side's lead. The duo had been in form last week, with half-centuries in a hard-fought draw against Habib Bank Limited. Jannisar Khan, the fight-arm medium-pacer, had the best figures of 2 for 56 from 16 overs.

Yasir Arafat, the Pakistan allrounder, dismissed NWFP opener Shoaib Khan jnr for 0, but Yasir Hameed (65) and Umar Javed (38*) added 85 for the second wicket. Hameed was dismissed by Saeed Ajmal's right-arm offspin, before Ajmal picked up Shoaib Khan snr for 15. NWFP have plenty to do to save this match.