Karachi Zebras win high-scoring contest
A round-up matches played on March 24 in the 2008-09 Royal Bank of Scotland Cup
Cricinfo staff
25-Mar-2009
Group D
Batsmen from both teams thrived at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore but in the end it was Karachi Zebras who claimed points against Water and Power Development Authority with a three-wicket win. Chasing a stiff target of 344, Karachi received solid contributions from almost all their batsmen. Akbar-ur-Rehman and Sheharyar Ghani scored half-centuries but the vital contributions came from Fahadullah Khan, who blasted 85 off 54 balls, and Babar Rehman, who scored 46 off 30. Their aggressive innings allowed Karachi to coast home with 13 balls to spare. For WAPDA Bilal Khilji and Naved-ul-Hasan scored quick half-centuries to lead their team to 343.
In an astonishing match at the Iqbal Stadium Habib Bank Limited lost to National Bank of Pakistan by 15 runs in a rail-curtailed game despite piling up 382 in 45 overs. In reply, NBP had motored to 292 for 4 in 36 overs when the match was called off and they were declared the winners based on the Duckworth-Lewis system. They were powered by Salman Butt's whirlwind 150 not out which outweighed a similar effort from HBL's Humayun Farhat. Butt hit 15 boundaries in his 112-ball innings. Humayun's was a more hard-hitting knock, with 18 fours and six sixes. In a match where the bowlers hardly had a say, highly rated fast bowler Mohammad Aamer turned in a superb performance, finishing with 9-2-30-2. His team-mates had economy rates in excess of eight and a half.
Khurram Shehzad and Misbah-ul-Haq missed out on centuries but their performances helped Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited complete a 70-run win against Lahore Eagles at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground . Shehzad was run out on 86 while Misbah made 93 off 91 balls to lead SNGPL to 301. Lahore's openers, Ahmed Dar and Abid Ali, gave them a solid start but after their first two wickets fell with the score on 77 they lost they way. Ali made 83, Dar scored 43 but no one else passed 20 as Lahore were dismissed for 231 in the 43rd over.
| Team | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | N/R | Pts | Net RR | For | Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Habib Bank | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | +1.079 | 861/129.0 | 761/136.0 |
| Sui Gas | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | +1.008 | 793/150.0 | 639/149.2 |
| National Bnk | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | +0.148 | 853/135.2 | 836/135.5 |
| WAPDA | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -0.420 | 917/149.5 | 921/140.5 |
| Karachi Zebras | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -0.589 | 811/147.5 | 898/147.5 |
| Lahore Eagles | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -1.127 | 748/147.5 | 928/150.0 |
