Report

Farhat century sets up big win for Habib Bank

A round-up of the President's Silver Cup One Day matches played on January 26, 2015

Group II

Imran Farhat's 137 off 117 deliveries, with fifties from Aftab Alam (53) and Asad Shafiq (68), followed by key strikes from Fahad Masood, helped Habib Bank Limited rout Bahawalpur Stags by 236 runs in Sialkot. Chasing a steep total of 341, Stags were reduced to 14 for 4 with three of those wickets falling to Masood, who ended the match with figures of 3 for 4 from three overs. Bilal Khilji (39) and Moinuddin (36) offered some resistance but their wickets were a part of a collapse that saw Stags go from 76 for 4 to 104 all out. Earlier, the top order trio of Farhat, Alam and Shafiq had laid the platform for the win. Farhat scored his 14th List A hundred as the top order contributed two mammoth partnerships - 140 for the first wicket, and 124 for the second wicket. The side, however, lost a few quick wickets as their innings ended at 340 for 7.
Water and Power Development Authority's bowling attack, led by left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar's 3 for 25, restricted Abbottabad Falcons to 130 for 9 before their batsmen completed an eight-wicket win in a shortened game in Lahore. WAPDA chose to field and Mohammad Ali made inroads with quick strikes before Babar left Falcons reeling at 60 for 5. Falcons' lower order stitched together 47 runs for the sixth-wicket before Waqas Maqsood struck quickly to leave them at 130 for 9 after 24 overs. WAPDA lost opener Iftikhar Ahmed for 6 but an unbeaten 60 from Mohammad Fayyaz steered them to a win in the 20th over.

Group III

Sui Southern Gas Corporation began their President's Silver One Day Cup campaign with a win in a shortened game against Faisalabad Wolves. The match was 43 overs a side, and Faisalabad, who were inserted, managed a modest 186 thanks to a number of small cameos spread across the order. Left-arm spinner Faheem Ahmed proved to be their biggest stumbling block, with career-best figures of 6 for 32. The chase was built around a knock of 84 off 102 from opener Usman Tariq, and though they lost a few wickets along the way, they got home with plenty of time to spare - victory was sealed with five overs and four wickets in hand.
In another weather-affected game in the group, Lahore Eagles beat Multan Tigers by seven runs via the Duckworth/Lewis method. The game was reduced to 24 overs a side, and Multan got to 194 for 6 led by a rampant, unbeaten 90 off 53 from Kashif Naved. In reply, Lahore Eagles were propelled by 52 off 27 from Tayyab Tahir and a more sedate run-a-ball half-century from Jahangir Mirza, which, in combination with some middle-order cameos, was enough to get them seven ahead of the par score when play was called off with an over still to go.