Zakir, Sohail put Karachi Whites on top

Karachi Whites are marching towards a comprehensive victory over Lahore Shalimar at the Southend Club Cricket Stadium in Karachi. Already in a position of strength overnight, Karachi extended their lead on the third day with Asif Zakir smashing 150, Rameez Aziz finishing up with 75 and Abdul Jabbar supporting Zakir in an unbeaten 122-run stand. Karachi declared with the score on 330, a lead of 452 and were favourites for a massive win by stumps. Fast bowler Sohail Khan grabbed 6 for 48 to derail the Lahore innings after a solid start. Opener Hamza Paracha and Asif Khan had taken the score to 82 for 1, before Sohail struck. The rest wilted, six wickets fell for 26 and Lahore were reeling at the end of the day at 113 for 7.

Pakistan Television reached a strong position against Khan Research Laboratories at the Khan Research Laboratory Ground in Rawalpindi. Seamer Mohammad Ali took a five-for to bowl out KRL for 214 and help his team gain a lead of 111. KRL had been 160 for 5 overnight and the rest did not offer much resistance. In their second innings, Pakistan Television lost five wickets by the close but a half-century from Awais Zia and 49 from opener and first-innings centurion Raheel Majeed had taken them to 158 for 5, a lead of 279.

Lahore Ravi were on top in their contest against Hyderabad at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Centuries from Junaid Jan and Fahad-ul-Haq had given them the first-innings lead on the second day, and Muzaffar Mahbood, with 66, helped extend it to 174 runs. Seamer Kashif Pervez prevented any additional damage, taking 7 for 76, after it had seemed Lahore would bat out Hyderabad. But Hyderabad, in their second innings, were unconvincing, mustering up 162 for 5 by stumps, still 12 behind and leaving their opponents with a good shot at a win.

A century from captain Akbar Badshah and his 123-run stand with Jamaluddin has propelled Peshawar to a position of control against Quetta at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar. From 196 for 5, Peshawar piled 422 for 9 in their second innings and set Quetta a target of 510. The Quetta batsmen, in their chase, got starts but faltered. Opener Shahzad Tareen made a quick 37, Taimur Ali was dismissed for 52 though hope still remains with an unbeaten 60 from Ata-ur-Rehman and his ongoing 94-run stand with captain Arun Lal. Quetta finished the day on 216 for 4.

A career-best 8 for 82 from seamer Ahmed Jamal gave Abbottabad a first-innings lead and put them on track to earn three points in their game against State Bank of Pakistan at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium. SBP were 150 for 3 at the start of the day and, with half-centurion Rameez Alam at the crease, were in an excellent position to overhaul Abbottabad's score of 278. However, Jamal triggered a collapse as four wickets fell for 44 runs to peg back SBP, and the innings, despite some useful contributions from the tail, folded with the score on 254. Having gained the lead, Abbottabad finished the day on 76 for 3 in their second innings with opener Ghulam Mohammad unbeaten on 36.