Sarfraz, Tahir set up massive PIA win
A round-up of President's Trophy matches that ended on December 24, 2013
ESPNcricinfo staff
24-Dec-2013
File photo - Imran Nazir's 130-ball 154 couldn't prevent a massive defeat for ZTBL • AFP
A seventh-wicket partnership of 294 between Sarfraz Ahmed and Tahir Khan set Pakistan International Airlines up for a nine-wicket win over Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited in Rawalpindi. Having bowled ZTBL out for 179, PIA were 157 for 7 when Tahir joined wicketkeeper Sarfraz at the crease. Sarfraz was eventually out for a 198-ball 165 while Tahir remained unbeaten on a 205-ball 141, his maiden first-class century, as PIA took a 323-run lead. Medium-pacer Imran Khan took five wickets for ZTBL.
ZTBL did well to make PIA bat again, scoring 354 thanks to an explosive 130-ball 154 from their captain Imran Nazir, who struck 21 fours and two sixes. But no one else made more than 37, and left-arm seamer Najaf Shah struck regularly to finish with six wickets, leaving PIA to chase 32 for victory. They got there in 7.2 overs, losing opener Shehzar Mohammad along the way.
Allrounder Hammad Azam scored 87 and an unbeaten 106, his highest first-class score, to earn National Bank of Pakistan a draw against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited in Islamabad.
Having chosen to bat, SNGPL were all out for 394, with Ali Waqas scoring an unbeaten 127 and Khurram Shehzad making 76. For NBP, medium-pacers Ataullah and Hammad took three wickets each.
SNGPL's new-ball pair of Samiullah Khan and Asad Ali - who were to end up sharing nine wickets in the innings - scythed through NBP's top and middle order to leave them gasping at 44 for 6. This was when Hammad walked in. He shared stands of 72 and 84 with Qaiser Abbas and Wahab Riaz for the seventh and eighth wickets to push NBP's total to 204. Hammad was the eighth wicket to fall for a 114-ball 87, with 13 fours and two sixes.
It still wasn't enough to avert the follow-on. NBP began their second innings 190 behind and were only 59 ahead when Fawad Alam fell for 98 to leave the team 249 for 6. Samiullah, who had taken four wickets in the first innings, now had his fourth for the second innings, but that was to be SNGPL's last success of the match, as Qaiser and Hammad remained unbeaten through the last 39.1 overs of the match. They put on 181, with Qaiser finishing not out on 115 off 198 balls, with 15 fours and a six, and Hammad on 106 off 122, with 10 fours and five sixes.