KARACHI: Lanky paceman Mohammad Irfan claimed an 11-wicket match haul as Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) registered their first win in the RBS Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship with an innings and 107-run rout of Karachi Whites on the penultimate day of the Group ‘A’ match at the National Stadium here on Saturday.
Facing a massive 421-run deficit on the first innings after KRL declared at their overnight total of 508-8 in reply to the regional team’s score of 87, Karachi Whites provided a much improved display in the second innings before they were all out for 314.
The gangling Irfan, the 27-year-old Gaggu Mandi-born left-armer reportedly more than seven feet tall, followed his 5-27 on Thursday with 6-96 as only Akbar-ur-Rehman (75 at run-a-ball, 12 boundaries), Afsar Nawaz (64 off 68 balls, eight fours and one six) and skipper Shadab Kabir (53 off 68 balls, seven fours and one six) made respectable contributions.
All three fell to Irfan who continues to make rapid strides in his maiden first-class season with 20 wickets in three championship games.
PIA were poised for their first victory of the season after reducing Pakistan Customs to 85-4 in the second innings of their match at the NBP Sports Complex.
Earlier, a seventh-wicket partnership of 119 between Fahad Iqbal and Anwar Ali completed a good recovery by PIA who gained a first-innings lead of 96 runs by taking their score from the overnight 185-6 to 323.
Fahad, the 23-year-old younger of PIA captain Faisal Iqbal, missed out by just eight runs of what would had been his fourth century in first-class cricket.
However, Fahad’s invaluable 92 off 194 balls in 288 minutes of application was a worthy effort nevertheless. His solid knock contained 11 boundaries. Anwar, the paceman, made a 120-ball 44 with four fours during his three-hour innings.
Islamabad are facing a tough task to avoid defeat after Karachi Blues forced them to follow-on at the Diamond Club Ground.
The hosts were dismissed for 236 in reply to the Blues’ first-innings 396 before reaching 295-8 in the second innings. Karachi Blues’ in-form paceman Tanvir Ahmed has so far claimed eight wickets in the match to follow his 13-wicket haul in the previous encounter against Abbottabad.
Rawalpindi emulated KRL by crushing Quetta by innings and 192 runs inside three days at the National Ground in Islamabad.
Medium-pacer Rashid Latif celebrated his 35th birthday in great style on Saturday as he claimed a career-best 6-50 as Quetta subsided to 189 all out in the second innings.
Rashid, who took 5-29 in the first innings, ended with a match bag of 11-79.
Our Sports Reporter adds from Lahore: Former Test batsman Saleem Elahi hammered an undefeated 178 to help Habib Bank recover from 64-3 to 354 all out against Wapda at the Gaddafi Stadium.
However, despite Saleem’s gallant knock Wapda gained a lead of 57 runs on the first innings. At stumps they had made 7-1 in the second innings.
Coming to the crease at No 4 on Friday evening, Saleem stood firm at one end to strike 23 fours in his 273-ball innings lasting six hours and 40 minutes.
Spinners Abdul Rehman and Danish Kaneria provided crucial support to Saleem with useful contributions. Rehman (45) helped Saleem add 141 for the fifth wicket. Later Kaneria scored 36 in a stand of 67.
Former Test paceman Shabbir Ahmed took 3-53. Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) were closing on an emphatic win after Lahore Shalimar reached 134-4 in their second innings at the LCCA Ground.
Earlier, replying to SNGPL’s huge total of 609-6 declared, Lahore Shalimar conceded a first-innings lead of 313 after making 296.
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