Hasan Raza powers Habib Bank into Patrons final

Hasan Raza smashed a brilliant hundred as Habib Bank cruised into the final of the Patron's Cup National One-day Cricket Championship beating Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), at Karachi on Saturday. Sent to bat first, Habib Bank posted a respectable 285 for 5 in 50 overs and then bowled out ZTBL for 248 in 45 overs.

Leading the side, Hasan made 105 off 92 balls with 11 boundaries and a six. He was dropped when on 13 by Adnan Akmal off pacer Imran Sabir, fully exploited the lapse and hammered the bowling to all parts of the ground. Aftab Khan, who made an unbeaten 44 off 42 balls with three fours, put on 104 runs for the fifth wicket with Hasan. Taufeeq Umar hit seven fours in his 44, while wicketkeeper Humayun Farhat, promoted to open the batting, hammered five boundaries and a six in his 34 off a mere 24 balls.

Faisal Naved top-scored for ZTBL with 62 off 97 deliveries including five boundaries and Atif Ashraf contributed a defiant undefeated 59 off 45 balls banging six boundaries and a brace of sixes. Fahad Masood was the pick of the Habib Bank bowling attack, taking three wickets for 57 in his ten overs.

Habib Bank will now take on Pakistan Customs in the final, at the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Sports Complex Ground at Karachi on February 20.

Pacers Imran Ali and Stephen John and off-spinner Murtaza Hussain bowled Pakistan Customs into the final of the Patrons Cup National One-day Cricket Championship, when they defeated Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) by 20 runs, in an exciting low-scoring semi-final at Karachi on Saturday.

Put in to bat first, Customs could manage only 171 for 9 in their 50 overs. WAPDA in response were bowled out for 151 in 47 overs. Right-arm fast-medium Imran Ali took 2 for 19, left-armer John got 2 for 31 and Murtaza claimed 2 for 22 in a tight 10-over spell. Opener Mohammad Ali Niazi made 35 while Fawad Alam scored 31 off 59 deliveries, hitting a solitary boundary. Shabbir Ahmed was the pick of the WAPDA bowling attack with three wickets for 35 runs in ten overs.

Asif Hussain slammed a fighting 50 with three fours after facing 108 balls and Ahmed Said, who had earlier claimed five catches behind the stumps, got 48 in 96 balls with two fours. The pair added exactly 100 runs for the fourth wicket after WAPDA were reduced to 14 for 3 in the first three overs with Imran striking twice. Customs will meet Habib Bank in the finals on Monday.