Quaid-i-Azam Trophy: HBL force Redco to follow-on

Islamabad, Nov 1: Redco face certain defeat after Habib Bank Limited (HBL) humbled them to follow-on and needed just five wickets to impose an innings routing here in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy match at Margalla ground on Monday.

When stumps were drawn on the third day, Redco had posted 208 for 5 in their second innings and still required 261 runs to make HBL bat again.

Forced into follow-on, Redco began its second innings in deficit of 468 runs. Openers Naveed Ashraf and Riffatullah started the long struggle with caution before both lost their wickets to spinners after playing reckless shots. Ashraf batting at 8 holed out to Salim off left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman at the total of 26. Twenty runs later, Riffatullah fell caught and bowl to Shahid Afridi.

Only 132-runs third wicket stand between Zeeshan Pervaiz and skipper Husnain Qayyum halted the HBL headways for nearly two sessions. Zeeshan played with extreme poise and played some delightful strokes for his 86 off 115 balls spanning 146 minutes. His innings included 17 cracking fours to the fence. However, three wickets fell in the space of eights runs at the dismissal of Zeeshan 40 minutes from close of play. Key demolisher of Redco's first innings left-arm pacer Kabir Khan removed Zeeshan with an outswinger that was well-taken by wicket-keeper Tahir Rashid at the total of 178. Four runs later, new batsman Noumanullah (4) was given leg before to Kabir. Another four runs and skipper Husnain Qayyum (55 off 96 balls 7x4) was adjudged leg before to pacer Sajid Shah.

Both, Kabir and Sajid were firing all cylinders to pick up more wickets towards the end, wicket-keeper Wasim Yousufi survived the anxious time with a personal score of 15 while partner Janisar Khan was not out at 5.

Earlier, in the morning Redco added just 41 runs to its overnight total of 56 for 6. Promising right-arm pacer Sajid Shah picked up two wickets while left-arm Kabir Khan and Shahid Afridi claimed one each to force the hosts into follow-on. Adnan Naeem remained the highest contributor for Redco with 15 runs. Kabir Khan notched up five wickets for 50 runs, Sajid snatched three for 27.