Taufeeq and Kaneria guide Habib Bank to 12th title

Habib Bank 233 for 9 (Taufeeq Umar 88, Jalat Khan 4-44) beat Customs 196 (Kaneria 5-21) by 37 runs
Scorecard

Taufeeq Umar: A fine 88, five catches, and a major title to boot © Getty Images

A dogged 88 from Taufeeq Umar and five wickets from Danish Kaneria guided Habib Bank to a 37-run victory over Pakistan Customs in the final of the Patron's Cup at Karachi's National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex. It was their 12th national title.

Sent in to bat first, Habib Bank posted 233 for 9 in their 50 overs with Taufeeq and Humayun Farhat (40) giving them a 91-run start. Humayun's younger brother Imran, returning from national duty, was dismissed after making 3 off 7 balls. Younis Khan, the Habib Bank captain, faced 38 balls in scoring 23 with two boundaries. Hasan Raza, recently dropped from the Test side, hit a run-a-ball 28 that included two sixes.

In reply, Customs - playing in only their second major domestic limited overs tournament final - were cleaned up for 196 with Kaneria doing the damage with 5 for 21. After his polished 88, Umar excelled in the field grabbing five catches including three during Kaneria's deadly spell. At one stage, Customs had appeared fairly well-placed at 80 for 1, but Kaneria took two quick wickets to give Habib Bank the edge, and then he returned to polish off the middle order as Customs fell further and further behind the required rate.. Fawad Alam top-scored with 39 runs off 55 with three boundaries while opener Mohammad Ali Niazi hit five fours in his enterprising 35 off 54 deliveries. Azhar Shafiq, the Customs captain, got 27 with three fours.

Customs, who were relegated to the second division of the first-class Patron's Trophy Championship, were a surprise finalist, beating Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), the defending champions, in the semi-finals. Pakistan International Airlines, second only to Habib Bank with 10 trophies to their credit, failed to make the semifinals this season.

The post-match ceremony was not held at the ground, but during the press show held by sponsors ABN-AMRO Bank later on at a local hotel to launch the Twenty20 Cup event, due to start here in Karachi from February 24.Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, presented the glittering Patron's Cup trophy to Younis plus a cash prize of Rs 300,000 while Shafiq received the runners-up trophy and Rs 150,000 from Naved Khan, the country chief of ABN-AMRO Bank.

Umar was declared best batsman and best fielder of the tournament and also named Man of the Match in the final. Kaneria got the best bowler award while Ahmed Said of WAPDA was named best wicketkeeper of the tournament. All individual awards were worth Rs 25,000 each. WAPDA, the defending champions, were beaten this season at the semifinals stage by Customs.