Rawalpindi drub Abbottabad, Multan stay top

The Rawalpindi Rams drubbed the Abbottabad Rhinos by ten wickets at the United Bank Limited Sports Complex. Babar Naeem's decision to field first proved a good decision as his bowlers kept the opposition to a paltry 126 in 31.1 overs, and then the captain biffed an unbeaten 82 in 56 balls to take Rawalpindi to a massive win. Led by new-ball operator Rashid Latif, Rawalpindi had Abbottabad in early trouble and they never recovered. Latif took three wickets and was well supported by the rest of the attack and from 76 for 7 this was always one-way traffic. The highest contributions to a poor total was the captain Ghulam Mohammed and tailender Rashid Mansoor's equal 23. The rout was completed by the opening pair of Naeem and Naved Malik, who slammed 127 in just 16.5 overs. Naeem hit 14 fours and a pair of sixes in his whirlwind innings and Malik a comparatively sedate 42 from 46 balls.

The Hyderabad Hawks also chased down their target without much fuss at the Niaz Stadium. Having kept the winless Quetta Bears to 220 in 48.4 overs, Hyderabad eased home by six wickets. Quetta had also been put under early pressure by the opposition's new-ball pair but unlike Abbottabad, their lower middle order did a decent job of trying to resuscitate the batting order. Taimur Khan (33), Jalat Khan (33) and Imran Khan (42 from 28 balls) chipped in at various junctures to get the total past 200, but it proved easy for Hyderabad. The opener Aqeel Anjum hit a composed 85 from 109 balls to shepherd the chase and there were valuable hands from No. 3 Mohammad Waqas (50) and Mohammad Urs (33 not out from 17 balls). Like Rawalpindi, Hyderabad have won two of four matches.

Another win for the side chasing, at the National Stadium, but this one a tighter affair. Set 239 to win, table-toppers Multan Tigers ultimately overcame a sloppy start to seal victory by two wickets with 17 balls remaining. The Karachi Dolphins' pace quotient had done well to reduce Multan to 35 for 4 and then hit back to dismiss the opener Sohaib Maqsood for 47, but Kashif Naved (86) and Mohammad Hafeez (25) combined to hold the innings together. Kashif was eighth out at 203 for 8, giving Karachi some hope, but Rizwan Haider and Mohammad Irshad stitched together an unbeaten 39-run stand to take Multan home. Haider made a crucial 31 from 40 balls and Irshad a brisk 24 from 17. The win kept Multan at the top spot and they have yet to lose a game. Karachi remain in second place.