ZTBL complete turnaround with tight win

Heavyweight performances from Habib Bank Limited's (HBL) Pakistan players helped them crush United Bank Limited (UBL) by 251 runs in Rawalpindi. Younis Khan scored a second-innings century to set UBL a challenging target, after which Umar Gul's five-wicket haul dismissed them for 177.

UBL won the toss and put HBL in, and Rumman Raees took 5 for 70 to dismiss them for 193. Raees took the top five wickets while Kashif Bhatti and Shabbir Ahmed shared the remaining five. Wicketkeeper Humayun Farhat was HBL's top-scorer with 79, while no one else made more than 30.

UBL's batsmen, however, were unable to consolidate the advantage their bowlers had earned and collapsed for 141. No. 3 batsman Imran Ali scored at unbeaten 50 and eight of his team-mates were dismissed in single digits. Ehsan Adil claimed 4 for 28 while Umar Gul and Abdul Ameer took two each.

Having taken a lead of 52, HBL had nearly doubled that in their second innings but lost quick wickets to slip to 78 for 3. Younis, however, anchored one end with 133, and half-centuries from Usman Salahuddin and Farhat helped them reach 376 for 8, when they declared. Shabbir was the pick of UBL's bowlers, with 4 for 100.

Chasing 429 to win, UBL lost three wickets for 16 runs to slump to 65 for 3 and there was no coming back. Gul ran through the line-up, taking 5 for 42, and UBL were dismissed in the 71st over.

Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) overcame a first-innings deficit and dismissed State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) cheaply in the second innings to set up a four-wicket victory in Islamabad.

SBP, after losing the toss, were comfortably placed in the first innings, reaching 238 for 3 on the back to strong top-order contributions. Sohail Tanvir began the ZTBL fightback and took 7 for 61 as SBP were dismissed for 298. Saad Altaf, however, took 6 for 71 for SBP, to help dismiss ZTBL for 239, 59 runs in deficit. Imran Nazir's 72-ball 63 was the innings' top score.

SBP were unable to build significantly on their lead, with Tanvir taking 4 for 25 in the second innings to finish with 11 in the match. Mohammad Khalil took 5 for 48 as SBP were skittled for 140, setting ZTBL a target of 200.

ZTBL's chase wasn't easy, though. They were 70 for 1 and then slipped to 117 for 5, with Kashif Siddiq taking 4 for 32. Haris Sohail, however, scored a half-century to steady the chase and ZTBL achieved the target in the 43rd over.

Port Qasim Authority (PQA) beat Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) by six wickets by chasing a target of 82 on the final day in in Rawalpindi.

After choosing to field, PQA's bowlers took the early advantage by reducing KRL to 146 for 5, but a lower-order rally, led by wicketkeeper Zulfiqar Jan's half-century, led KRL to 289. Mohammad Talha and Ahmed Jamal took three wickets each as KRL were dismissed in the 93rd over.

Khurram Manzoor was rock solid at one end, during PQA's reply, but the support he received from his team-mates was brittle. Manzoor scored 152 but the next highest contributor to PQA's first-innings score of 344 was extras with 39. Manzoor helped PQA take a lead of 55 before they were dismissed in 93.1 overs.

KRL's second innings began poorly, and they were struggling at 8 for 2. The middle-order batsmen got starts but failed to convert them and the innings folded in 34 overs. Tanvir Ahmed took 4 for 37, while Azam Hussain claimed 3 for 39, as KRL were dismissed for 136.

PQA lost early wickets during the chase but the target of 82 was always within reach. They got there in 22 overs.

A century from Ali Waqas and five-wicket hauls from Asad Ali and Samiullah Khan underpinned Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited's (SNGPL) 143-run win against Pakistan Internationals Airlines (PIA) in Lahore.

Having lost the toss, SNGPL lost two wickets with the score on 29, before Waqas came in at No. 4 and played a steadying hand. He made 105 out of a total of 234. Anwar Ali, with 5 for 66, and Shoaib Malik, who claimed 4 for 49, were PIA's most successful bowlers.

Asad Ali led the rout of PIA in their first innings. He took 5 for 39, cutting through the PIA middle order and helping rout them for 101 in the 36th over. Samiullah Khan took 3 for 35, as SNGPL took a lead of 133.

Waqas top scored for SNGPL in their second innings as well, making 64 to lead them to 145 for 5 before they declared. The target for PIA was 279 but they were shot out for 135, with Samiullah taking 5 for 36 and Asad Ali 3 for 51.