SNGPL storm to innings victory

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) stormed to victory by an innings and 65 runs by taking 17 Karachi Whites wickets on the third day at the National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex. Karachi Whites had begun play on 112 for 3 in their first innings, in response to SNGPL's 436. They were dismissed for 181. Bilawal Bhatti was the pick of the SNGPL bowlers, taking 5 for 41. Having secured a lead of 255, SNGPL enforced the follow-on and needed only 57.2 overs to dismiss Karachi Whites a second time. They were floundering at 108 for 7 before the last three wickets dragged them to 190, when the end came. Yasir Shah did the damage for SNGPL in the second innings, taking 4 for 62.

Despite a solid performance in their first-innings, Lahore Shalimar were asked to follow on by Peshawar at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and needed to bat with patience on the final day to secure a draw. Lahore Shalimar began the third day on 101 for 2 in response to Peshawar's 556. Mohammad Hamza made 57, Adnan Raza 97 and Anayat Saeed 86. There were also useful contributions from the other middle-order batsmen. Peshawar's Riaz Afridi, however, took 5 for 121 to help dismiss Lahore Shalimar for 376. Having conceded a first-innings lead of 180, Lahore Shalimar were soon batting again and ended the day 18 for 0 in the follow on. They trail by 162 with all wickets intact going into the final day.

Fourteen wickets fell on an absorbing third day between Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) and Hyderabad as both teams wrestled for the upper hand at the Niaz Stadium in Sind. KRL began the day on 173 for 4, in reply to Hyderabad's 270, with Bazid Khan on 74 and Mohammad Idrees on 25. Bazid was soon out for 79 and Idrees went for 44 later in the innings. Of the remaining five batsmen, three made ducks, another made 1, while Nayyer Abbas was not out on 43. Hyderabad legspinner Zahid Mahmood took 5 for 64 as KRL were dismissed for 243, trailing by 27 runs. KRL's bowlers, however, gave Hyderabad's batsmen a torrid time in their second innings and had reduced them to 117 for 7 at stumps, with an overall lead of only 144. Abbad, Junaid Ilyas and Saeed Anwar jnr took two wickets each.

United Bank Limited (UBL) ended the third day against Lahore Ravi leading by 195 runs, but with only five second-innings wickets intact at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. The day began with Lahore Ravi on 244 for 8 in their first innings and they were dismissed for 259, having secured a lead of 41. UBL lost a wicket before they had scored in the second innings but Ali Asad and Saad Sukhail wiped out the deficit during a second-wicket partnership worth 110. UBL then lost two wickets in quick time twice and were reduced to 191 for 5 before ending the day on 236. They will have to bat for as long as they can on the final day to try and force a draw.

Multan need to ensure against a second-innings collapse on the final day if they are to draw their game against Quetta at the Multan Cricket Stadium. They will begin the fourth day trailing by 149 in the second innings with nine wickets in hand. The third day began with Quetta on 206 for 2 in their first innings, in response to Multan's 304. After losing Arun Lal early, the capain Taimur Ali went on to score 89, while Ata-ur-Rehman scored 104 off 141 balls. They put on 197 runs for the fourth wicket. Quetta eventually declared on 476 for 5. Arun Lal then dented Multan's second innings by having Mohammad Ahmed caught behind for 9 to reduce them to 23 for 1 at stumps.