Habib Bank gain crucial lead

A brisk knock of 76 by Farhan Adil helped Habib Bank take the crucial first innings lead over Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), on the second day of their Patrons Trophy Quadrangular Stage match at the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) Stadium on Saturday.

Replying to a modest PIA first innings total of 200 all out, Habib Bank reached a score of 219, giving them a 19-run lead. By the close, PIA finished at 29 for 1 after Shahid Nazir sent Kamran Sajid back to the pavilion. For PIA, Fazl-e-Akbar finished with figures of 5-83, taking a five-wicket haul for the 35th time in his 112-match first-class career.

At five down for 64, Habib Bank were well short of taking the lead, with pacemen Fazl-e-Akbar and Najaf Shah, the left-armer, bowling at their best. Then came an invaluable 57-run sixth-wicket partnership between Farhan and the left-handed Abdul Rehman. The hard-hitting Junaid Zia then joined Farhan, adding another 67 runs for the seventh-wicket. Junaid made 30 off 44 balls with four fours.

Najaf Shah captured four wickets for 60 runs. Earlier, Habib Bank's opening bowlers Shahid Nazir and the left-armed Kamran Hussain had both ended with four wickets each.