Out-of-favour Saqlain excels in selectors absence

Saqlain Mushtaq picked up a wicket and scooped up four excellent catches as PIA beat Karachi Whites by six wickets in the National Oneday Cricket Championship at National Stadium Thursday.

The home team, batting first, posted a decent 219 for seven in 50 overs. PIA, the former champions, hardly raised a sweat when they reached the victory target in 38 overs. But the irony was none of the selectors was present at the ground to see Saqlain put up a performance that was a slap on the face of the people who had dropped him from the Asian Test Championship final.

Wasim Bari, chairman of selectors, came late in the afternoon after all the action was complete. Mohsin Khan, one of the paid selectors, continued to remain a missing figure as he has been since the start of the season.

The selectors' decision not to watch proceedings involving PIA seems strange as there are at least four players on whom either there are fitness or form doubts and can walk into the national team anytime.

Saqlain was tight and economical as ever conceding 45 runs off his 10 overs. But the catches off Fahadullah and Farhan Iqbal, the latter off his won bowling, reflected how seriously he was taking his cricket and the improvement he has made in his fielding.

Saqlain held a running catch while diving forward at mid-off to end the innings of Fahadullah and then took a acrobatic catch off his own bowling to terminate the knock of Farhan Iqbal.

Saqlain was not the only PIA player to dominate the show. Wasim Akram bowled his heart out on a placid track and under testing conditions while Azhar Mahmood bowled nicely to concede 32 runs off his nine overs.

Abdul Razzaq was belted for 59 runs from his nine overs while Shoaib Malik's 18 deliveries cost him 23 runs. Karachi's innings was dominated by two half centuries and a 49 by opener Maisam Hasnain who hit four boundaries in his 81-ball innings. Zeeshan Pervez scored 53 but took 102 balls while Mohammad Masroor hit a rapid 46-ball 53 with six boundaries.

PIA, in their target chase, was set an ideal platform when openers Ghulam Ali and Faisal Iqbal added 115 for the first wicket. The partnership ended when Faisal was out after scoring a 43-ball 38 with five boundaries. But Ghulam Ali remained punishing, clobbering 10 boundaries in his 79-ball 67. Yasir Hameed chipped in with 35 while skipper Moin Khan finished the match in style by slamming four boundaries in his nine-ball 19.