Pakistan Domestic: PIA qualify for Quaid Trophy final

Lahore, Feb 1: Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) held Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for a respectable draw in the Quaid-i- Azam Trophy match but failed to prevent the former champions from qualifying for the final to be played at Faisalabad from Feb 12.

By virtue of a draw, PIA took their tally of points to 72 which set them a five-day clash with Habib Bank. Bad weather and an unfinished 166-run stand between skipper Ghaffar Kazmi and Mustaqeem Ahmad at the Gaddafi Stadium denied PIA a victory which looked well on cards when they had reduced the home team to 78 for two when played ended on Monday evening after forcing them to follow on.

Due to poor visibility, only 17 minutes play could be held in the first session. In all, 103 minutes play was wasted due to bad light. LCCA Whites resumed their second innings at the overnight total of 78 for two and were 260 for four when two umpires Salim Badar and Shakeel Khan finished the match, 15 minutes before the scheduled time.

LCCA were dismissed for 187 while replying to PIA's mammoth 504 for six declared. Ghaffar Kazmi and Mustaqeem Ahmad were the saviours of LCCA's innings. Ghaffar Kazmi belted his third straight century while Mustaqeem remained unbeaten on 50 as the two batsmen posted 166 for the unfinished fifth wicket stand.

Ghaffar Kazmi, who scored 120 off 174 balls with 16 boundaries, had earlier hammered centuries against Hyderabad and Karachi. Mustaqeem Ahmad adorned his knock with five boundaries. He stayed at the wicket for 193 minutes. Earlier, Rizwan Ahmad, who resumed at 53, could add 11 runs before was caught by Zahid Fazal off leg-spinner Nadeem Khan who claimed all the four LCCA wickets to fall. He gave away 102 runs.