Zia five-for lifts National Bank into final

A five-wicket haul from Zia-ul-Haq led National Bank of Pakistan into the final of the National One-Day Cup with a six-wicket win over United Bank Limited at the Gaddafi Stadium. Having sent them in to bat, National Bank quickly had United Bank in trouble at 10 for 2, with both openers departing in the space of three balls. There wasn't much of a recovery after that, with only Younis Khan (41, 65b, 5x4) and Hammad Azam (59, 83b, 5x4) getting past 25, their 42-run stand for the fifth wicket the best of the innings. Zia, the left-arm quick, finished with figures of 5 for 33 in 7.5 overs as United Bank were bowled out for 185, with seven balls still remaining.

National Bank slipped to 10 for 2 themselves, losing opener Hamza Paracha and No. 3 Nasir Jamshed in successive overs, but Kamran Akmal, walking in at No. 4, steadied their chase. First, he added 37 with Ahsan Ali (23) and then put on 73 with Akbar-ur-Rehman for the fourth wicket. Akmal fell for a 79-ball 63 (7x4, 2x6) with 69 runs still required, but Akbar steered National Bank home in the company of Umar Waheed (27), remaining unbeaten on 70 (84b, 10x4).