Karachi Whites poised to take first-innings lead

Pakistan Customs were facing the prospect of defeat, having

Set a target of 385 runs to win, Pakistan Customs were facing defeat as they slumped to 77 for 5 against Habib Bank Limited in their Group A Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match at the National Bank of Pakistan stadium. Habib Bank had a 93-run lead in the first innings and then scored 291 for 9 in the second innings before declaring.

Pakistan Customs were rattled by fast bowler Fahad Masood and legspinner Danish Kaneria, who took two wickets each. Kamran Hussain followed his first innings 5 for 30 with another scalp. Three batsmen were out without scoring and they slumped to 16 for 3 before Hasnain Abbas (25), captain Rehan Rafiq (26 not out) and wicketkeeper Mohammad Hasan (17 not out) began to consolidate. The Pakistan Customs need another 308 runs to win but with half the side already back in the pavilion, it is a difficult ask.

Habib Bank's second innings was highlighted by a 135-run opening stand. Imran Farhat scored 61 off 105 balls to complement his 60 in the first innings. Taufeeq Umar made 73 off 105 deliveries with seven fours.

Captain Hasan Raza scored 47 off 51 balls that included six fours and two sixes, and Rafatullah Mohmand (32) also made a useful contribution. Legspinner Yasir Shah and offspinner Yasir Hussain took three wickets each for Pakistan Customs.

Karachi Whites were only 24 runs away from taking the first-innings lead against Hyderabad as they finished the third day on 386 for 7 at the Niaz Stadium.

At the forefront of their effort was a debut century from their 21-year old opening batsman Asad Shafiq, whose opening partnership with another debutant Shan Masood (54) was worth 154 runs.

Shafiq, playing only because Khalid Latif was called up for national duty, made 113 runs off 183 balls with 14 fours. Masood, the Pakistan Under-19 vice-captain, scored 54 off 122 balls with three boundaries.

After Karachi Whites' seventh wicket fell at 315 with their team still 94 runs behind Hyderabad's first-innings score of 409, Afsar Nawaz and Tanvir Ahmed put on 71 runs for the eighth wicket. Afsar Nawaz was still at the crease, unbeaten on 64 off 127 balls with nine fours. With him is Tanvir Ahmed on 35 not out off 34 balls.

Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) beat Lahore Ravi by nine wickets on the final day at the LCCA Ground in Lahore. They gained the full nine points.

WAPDA took a 195-run lead in the first innings by scoring 446 and then bowled out Lahore Ravi for 215. This left them with only 21 runs to win, which they achieved with the loss of one wicket in just 16 balls.

WAPDA offspinner Aqeel Ahmed took 6 for 75 which gave him match figures of 10 for 155. Arsalan Mir scored 56 off 102 balls with six fours while Kashif Siddiq, who batted at No. 6 because his father, umpire Siddiq Khan, had died on Sunday, remained unbeaten with 52 off 95 deliveries with four fours.

Faisalabad and Multan played out a draw at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha. Multan failed to gain the first-innings lead, finishing on 308 compared to Faisalabad's 402.

The match at the Jinnah Stadium between Sialkot and National Bank of Pakistan, which had been abandoned on Sunday due to "misbehaviour of the pitch", was expected to start afresh on Monday on a new wicket. As the track was still being prepared it couldn't start and no points were awarded to either team.

Despite dismissing Rawalpindi for 176 in the second innings, Karachi Blues were struggling to avoid defeat on the third day of their Group B match at the United Bank Limited ground.

Karachi Blues, having resumed on 174 for 9 still 60 runs behind Rawalpindi, were bowled out for 181 although their last wicket stand added 50. Rawalpindi gained a first-innings lead of 53 and set Karachi Blues 230 to win. Karachi Blues, however, lost three wickets for 22.

Rawalpindi fast bowler Rizwan Akbar finished with 5 for 47 in 26 overs in Karachi Blues' first innings. Faraz Patel added one run to his overnight score of 62 and No. 11 Malik Aftab remained unbeaten on 21. Akbar was among the Karachi wickets again in the second innings, taking two of the three to fall.

The Rawalpindi top order collapsed to 53 for 5 in the second innings before an 81-run stand between captain Naved Ashraf, who scored 47, and Yasim Murtaza, 54 off 126 balls, revived the innings.

Karachi's slow left-armer Azam Hussain took 4 for 40 and finished the match with figures for 10 for 110. Medium-pacer Tariq Haroon picked up 3 for 17 in 13 overs.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) defeated Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) by six wickets at the Sheikhupura Stadium. PIA began the day on 30 for no loss, needing 134 to win, and chased down the target for the loss of four wickets. They started the tournament with the full nine points.

Also making a winning start was Islamabad, who beat Abbottabad in a Group B match at the Diamond Cricket Club Ground by four wickets. Islamabad scored 259 for 6 in their second innings with almost all their batsmen making useful contributions after Abbottabad had set them a stiff target.

Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) declared their second innings on 219 for 7 but Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), needing 250 runs to win, batted for only 22 overs, making 40 for 2, before the match was called off as a draw at the KRL Stadium. KRL took three points.

At the Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar also took three points from a draw against Lahore Shalimar, who batted stubbornly in their second innings and scored 301 for 4. They had earlier surrendered a first-innings lead of 165 runs.