Shoaib Akhtar leads KRL to last-ball, one-wicket win
LAHORE: At the Gaddafi Stadium here on Tuesday, Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) registered a nerve-wracking last-ball one-wicket victory over Habib Bank Limited (HBL) in a quarter-final of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Patron’s Cup National One-day Cricket Tournament.
KRL’s Mohammad Ramzan hit a polished undefeated 114 but it was Shoaib Akhtar’s innings that turned the match on its head after the bankers had posted a colossal 330 in 50 overs and then left KRL reeling at 229 for six after 42 overs.
Shoaib, who was earlier hit away for 74 runs from his nine overs, blasted a 57-ball 54 that included four fours and three sixes. His partnership with Ramzan yielded 90 runs from less than eight overs. Nevertheless, it was Ramzan who was adjudged Man of the Match for his 106-ball knock that included 10 fours and a six.
KRL will face Wapda in the semifinals who defeated Peshawar by 127 runs at the Gymkhana Ground in Okara. Wapda, thanks to even contributions from Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (67), Shahid Mansoor (54), Mohammad Zaman (42), Zahid Umar (36), Farooq Iqbal (29) and Tariq Aziz (29), posted 297 for six from 50 overs.
In turn, Peshawar were dismissed for 170 in 35 overs with Adil Nisar capturing four wickets for 28 runs. Aqeel Ahmad bagged three wickets for 29 runs and Waqas Ahmad picked up two wickets for 31 runs.
Of the four quarter-finals, KRL were engaged in probably the best match played during the day. Habib Bank, put into bat, must have felt a place secured in the semifinals once they had accumulated 330 in 50 overs with the ever-improving Farhan Adil htting a 69-ball 70 with seven fours and a six. He was equally well supported by Taufeeq Umar (41), Imran Farhat (41), Hasan Raza (40), Saleem Elahi (39) and Atiq-uz-Zaman (37).
But Shoaib Akhtar had other ideas as he displayed some clean hitting to snatch victory for KRL from the jaws of defeat. Shoaib’s lusty hitting might have put Ramzan in the back seat, but couldn’t take away the importance of the knock as the former Test opener held the innings together and played some exciting shots.
Ramzan featured in a 102-run fifth-wicket stand with Saeed bin Nasir who once again showed his class with a fluent 74. Saeed, who had scored 186 in the previous match, hit eight fours and a six from 75 balls. Nevertheless, KRL, despite Ramzan and Saeed’s heroics, still needed 70 off the last 60 balls which they achieved with success.
In an interesting last over, KRL needed two runs for victory with four wickets standing. Irfan Fazil conceded a run off the first ball and then three KRL batsmen ran themselves out leaving one run for victory off the final over. Unfortunately, Irfan drifted the last ball down the leg side and Ramzan faced no problems in putting it for a boundary.
If KRL and Habib Bank were involved in a thriller, Moin Khan played the best innings of the day. Opening the innings for PIA, he played the second best innings of the tournament while scoring 174.
With Ghulam Ali (40), Moin put on 77 for the first wicket, 69 for the second wicket with Yasir Hameed (29) and 152 for the third wicket with Faisal Iqbal. PIA, who scored 146 at the halfway stage, collected 98 off the last 10 overs. Scores in brief (quarter-finals in Okara and Lahore):
At Gaddafi Stadium Lahore. Habib Bank 330 in 50 overs (Farhan Adil 70, Imran Farhat 41, Taufeeq Umar 41, Hasan Raza 40, Saleem Elahi 39, Atiq-uz-Zaman 37, Faisal Afridi 4-72, Shoaib Akhtar 2-74) v KRL 334-9 in 50 overs (Mohammad Ramzan 114*, Saeed bin Nasir 74, Shoaib Akhtar 56, Ali Naqvi 32, Misbah-ul-Haq 28, Shahid Nazir 3-58, Younis Khan 2-58, Danish Kaneria 2-73). KRL won by one wicket.
At Gymkhana Ground Okara. Wapda 297-6 in 50 overs (Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 67, Shahid Mansoor 54, Mohammad Zaman 42, Zahid Umar 36, Tariq Aziz 29, Farooq Iqbal 29, Aftab Khan 2-36, Nauman Habib 2-70) v Peshawar 170 in 35 overs (Aftab Khan 48, Adil Nisar 42, Mohammad Fayyaz 27, Adil Nisar 4-28, Aqeel Ahmad 3-29, Waqas Ahmad 2-31). Wapda won by 127 runs.
Semifinals line-up (both matches to be played under lights): PIA v Allied Bank at National Stadium Karachi; KRL v Wapda at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore (matches to be played on March 28 and start at 1430 hours).
