Mohammad Wasim guides KRL's hunt for lead

Raheel Majeed's career-best 162 resisted the impact of Mohammad Irfan's five-wicket haul as Pakistan Television progressed to 325 before reducing Khan Research Laboratories to 160 for 5 at the Khan Research Laboratory Ground in Rawalpindi. Majeed and Yasim Murtaza (60) extended their partnership to 147 before PTV lost their last three wickets for the addition of no runs. KRL's reply was steered by a run-a-ball 82 from captain Mohammad Wasim, but Saad Altaf and Mohammad Ali, who bowled unchanged for 36 overs until stumps, made regular breakthroughs at the other end to leave the game in the balance.

Peshawar's batsmen stamped their authority on the second day at the Arbab Niaz Khan Stadium as Quetta lost ground following the bowler-dominated opening day. The visitors could only add 38 to their overnight 87 for 6, conceding a 87-run first innings lead. The wickets were shared around by the home seamers, with Imran Khan finishing with 4 for 50. Peshawar's reply was driven by steady half-centuries from Ashfaq Ahmed, Sajjad Ahmed (1) and Tariq Khan. Quetta's incisiveness was badly hampered by the absence of first-innings hero Arun Lal, who could bowl only three balls on the second day. Kashif Sattar picked up three wickets, but could not check Peshawar's surge to an imposing 290 for 5 by stumps.

It was slow progress all-round at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium where Abbottabad and State Bank of Pakistan were locked in an attritional battle for the upper hand. Resuming at 221 for 5, the hosts could not make much headway on the second day. Mohammad Naved, Ansar Javed and Nazar Hussain shared nine wickets to bowl Abbottabad out for the addition of 57 runs. SBP lost their captain Kashif Siddiq early in their reply and batted cautiously thereafter in search of the first-innings lead. Rameez Alam guided their reply to 150 for 3, and was unbeaten on an even 50 at stumps. Seamer Ahmed Jamal was responsible for all three breakthroughs.

Karachi White's bowlers dismissed Lahore Shalimar for 139, gaining a 122-run first-innings lead at the Southend Club Cricket Stadium in Karachi. Asif Khan was the only batsman to come to terms with the all-round host attack. Azam Hussain and Atif Maqbool finished with three wickets apiece while the remaining four were shared by Sohail Khan and Ali Mudassar. Inspired by the bowlers, the home batsmen responded with a strong start to their second innings, with unbeaten half-centuries from Asif Zakir and Rameez Aziz guiding them to 180 for 3 by stumps.

Lahore Ravi were firmly in control of their match against Hyderabad, with centuries from Junaid Jan and Fahad-ul-Haq lifting them to 254 for 2 at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Opener Mohammad Saad departed for 14, but thereafter it was a long fruitless day for the visitors. Fahad was the more aggressive of the pair, hitting 13 fours in his 103 off 160 balls. He perished after adding 164 for the second wicket, but Junaid stayed put till stumps, finishing unbeaten on 107 off 231 balls.