Karachi Blues complete massive victory

Fast bowler Sarmad Anwar took 7 for 33 to bowl Pakistan Customs out cheaply in the second innings and leave Habib Bank Limited (HBL) well placed for victory at the Diamond Club Ground. Asad Baig scored 96 and Rameez Aziz made 64 but there were no other contributions for Pakistan Customs as Anwar scythed through the line-up, with left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman claiming the other three wickets. Pakistan Customs were dismissed for 234, leaving Habib Bank with a target of 153. Their openers added 43 by the end of the day and will continue the victory push on Sunday.

The bowlers had a field day at the Jinnah Stadium with 13 wickets fall in the match between Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Pakistan International Airines (PIA). PIA began the day on 225 for 2, poised to take a massive first innings lead, but struggled after opener Yasir Hameed was dismissed for 180. Imran Ali cut through the middle order, taking 6 for 87, and PIA were dismissed for 328, with a first-innings advantage of only 63. That lead, however, proved invaluable because SNGPL struggled in their second innings too, reaching 107 for 5 at stumps. Mohammad Hafeez was unbeaten on 74 and his team will hope he can build on the current lead of 44.

Tabish Khan dismissed four Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) batsmen off successive deliveries to perform the damage control his team, Karachi Whites, needed on the third day at the United Bank Limited Sports Complex. ZTBL had begun the day on 332 for 4, already leading by 100, and had Zohaib Khan batting on 129. He went on to make only 143 before becoming one of Tabish's seven wickets. ZTBL were eventually dismissed for 397, with an overall lead of 165. Karachi Whites batted impressively in their second innings, wiping out the deficit and reaching 209 for 3 at stumps. They'll be hoping to continue their effort and force a draw on the final day.

Abid Ali and Ali Raza were both dismissed in the nineties as Lahore Shalimar were dismissed for 316 in their first innings and asked to follow on by Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) at the Gaddafi Stadium. Fast bowler Jaffar Nazir accounted for the top five Lahore batsmen and finished with 5 for 95, bowling KRL to a 186-run lead. Nauman Ali struck another blow for KRL before stumps by reducing Lahore Shalimar to 10 for 1.

It was a day of frustration for Sui Southern Gas Corporation's (SSGC) bowlers as Rafatullah Mohmand and Aamer Sajjad struck unbeaten centuries to lead Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) to 300 for 1 on the third day at the Sheikhupura Stadium. Replying to SSGC's first-innings total of 466, WAPDA's openers added 76 before Asif Hussain was leg before to Shakeel-ur-Rehman. That remained SSGC's only success, though, as Sajjad joined Mohmand and forged a 224-run partnership for the second wicket.

Karachi Blues's bowlers wrecked Hyderabad's first innings and then did it again during the follow-on to complete a massive innings-and-259-run victory at Mirpur Khas. Mohammad Sami and Tanvir Ahmed had Hyderabad reeling at 56 for 6 overnight and this morning they went for the kill, bowling them out for 123 in 29 overs, taking a lead of 429. Sami and Ahmed finished with five wickets apiece. Sami went wicketless during the follow-on but Ahmed took 3 for 54 while Asam Hussain and Tariq Haroon shared the remaining seven wickets between them. Hyderabad lasted longer this time and were dismissed for 170 in the 47th over.

An incisive performance from Sialkot's bowlers has given their team an outside chance of victory against Islamabad at the Jinnah Stadium. Sialkot resumed their first innings on 170 for 6 and were eventually dismissed for 302, conceding a first-innings lead of 99. Despite that, they were in a promising position when play ended, after reducing Islamabad to 145 for 7 in their second innings. Islamabad currently lead by 244, leaving all four results possible on the final day.

An impressive performance from all four Faisalabad bowlers gave their team a 142-run first-innings lead against Rawalpindi at the Iqbal Stadium. Rawalpindi were 88 for 4 overnight and apart from Usman Saeed, who remained unbeaten on 80, all of the remaining batsmen failed as the innings ended on 191. Faisalabad, however, were shaky in their second innings and ended the day on 69 for 5, with an overall lead of only 211.

Despite conceding a small first-innings lead, Lahore Ravi were well placed to press for victory on the final day of their match against Abbottabad in Muridke. Lahore Ravi began the day on 168 for 5 and were dismissed for 259, trailing by 24 runs in the first innings. Their bowlers, however, cut through the Abbottabad line-up in the second innings, reducing them to 103 for 7, with an overall lead of only 127. Aamer Hayat was the pick of the Lahore bowlers, taking 4 for 39.

An unbeaten double-century from Rameez Alam along with Naved Yasin's 154 put Multan in firm control of their game against Peshawar at the Multan Cricket Ground. After Multan resumed on 291 for 3 on the third morning, Alam converted his century into a double and made 222. Gulraiz Sadaf also contributed a rapid 73 to allow Multan to declare on 538 for 6, leading by 321 runs. Peshawar then struggled in their second innings and slipped to 147 for 5 before play ended. They're still trailing by 174 and have a monumental challenge ahead of them to avoid defeat.