By Our Sport Reporter
KARACHI, Jan 11: Moin Khan notched up his eighth first-class century and Wasim Akram struck a half century as Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) secured a 59-run first innings lead over Allied Bank in a Patron's Trophy match at the National Stadium here on Sunday.
Moin, 'rested' from the Dhaka triangular, slammed a flawless and elegant 129 while Akram hit 59 to lift the national carriers to 325 all out after Allied Bank pace duo of Mohammad Akram and Aamir Nazir had destroyed the top-order to leave PIA reeling at 78 for six. Moin and Akram shared in a face-saving run-a-minute 128-run seventh wicket stand.
Then Moin, with elder brother Nadeem Khan, added another 61 priceless runs in 48 minutes for the eighth wicket to pilot PIA to a score from where they can apply some pressure on Allied Bank in an effort to avert relegation.
Moin, known for his fighting skills, also managed to add 58 runs with the last two batsmen Hasnain Kazim (1) and Ali Gohar (6).
Paceman Ali Gohar, later in the evening, grabbed the prized scalp of Allied Bank's first innings top scorer Ataur Rahman as the bankers finished the second day at 25 for one and still 34 runs in arrears. Moin, who is fast consolidating his reputation as man of crisis, batted with admirable courage and determination in an innings that consumed 169 balls and included 14 punishing boundaries and two massive sixes. Moin, dropped when 96, was the last PIA batsman out to give Aamir Nazir a well deserved five-wicket haul. The discarded Test pacer bowled exceedingly well, specially in the post lunch session, to finish with five wickets for 104 runs.
Mohammad Akram, who was the most impressive bank bowler, ended up with three for 93. But the figures don't show a true picture of how beautifully he bowled on an helpful track.
Wasim Akram, after his two for 29 on Saturday, clicked with the bat at the right time when he scored a gallant 59 though he had to pay a heavy price for it.
Akram twice suffered hamstring injuries in his right legs. But when he was about to have a runner in Sohail Jaffar, he was stumped off Arshad Khan after losing his balance and collapsing on the wicket.
Akram, who had struggled to make proper contact between bat and ball in the international domestic season, however, stressed that the injury was not a serious one.
``It will be alright in a week's time. It is not very serious but I am careful. I will see how it (injury) responds to the treatment on Monday morning before I decide if I can bowl,'' said Akram who is playing the match to show his fitness.
Moin Khan, who has three Test centuries under his cap, drove forcefully, pulled authoritatively and swept delicately to reach his first 50 runs from 99 balls with five boundaries. He turned ruthless on way to his next 50 runs that came off 47 balls and comprised six boundaries and a six.
The top PIA batsmen collapsed against quality when they fell like nine-pins. The duo of Nazir and Akram comprehensively beat them in the air and off the wicket as PIA went for lunch at 115 for six after starting their first innings this morning.
Day 3: PIA-ABL match heading for a close finish
By Our Sports Reporter
KARACHI, Jan 12: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), in a must-win situation, had their back to the wall in the Patron's Trophy match against Allied Bank at the National Stadium here on Monday. After paceman Ali Gohar had set a perfect stage for victory, the national carrier batsmen collapsed for the second time in the match against quality bowling to be left tottering at 66 for four while chasing 169 for an outright win and avoiding relegation.
Gohar captured four wickets for 63 runs and Nadeem Khan bagged three wickets for 54 runs to dismiss the bankers for 227. The bankers, who were 59 runs in arrears, had started the penultimate day at 25 for one. Allied Bank new ball duo of Mohammad Akram and Aamir Nazir dented PIA once again by equally sharing the four fallen wickets between them. Akram snapped up the wickets for Babar Zaman (4) and Javed Sami (15) while Aamir Nazir accounted for Rizwanuz Zaman (0) and Sohail Jaffar (17).
When stumps were drawn for the day, Zahid Fazal was batting on 19 and with him was nightwatchman Nadeem Khan on 3. With PIA requiring 103 more runs for an outright win and Aamir Malik, Moin Khan and Wasim Akram remaining in the dressing room besides Hasnain Kazim and Ali Gohar, the match is surely heading for a very close finish.
Moin Khan and Wasim Akram, who shared in a face-saving 123-run seventh wicket partnership the other day after PIA had slumped to 78 for six, will have to defy all pains to deliver the goods if it comes to them again. Moin didn't take the field on Monday after being struck all over the lower part of the body by Aamir Nazir during his magnificent 129 while Akram is suffering from hamstring injury.
Reverting to the penultimate day's proceedings, Ali Gohar again bowled exceedingly well to add his first innings three for 87 with four for 63. He bowled with hostility and accuracy.
Spinner Nadeem Khan extended full support to Gohar and so did Sohail Jaffar who bagged two quick wickets to finish with two for 46. Allied Bank, after being reduced to 56 for three, were rescued by a 71-run fourth wicket stand between Raj Hans and Taimoor Khan. Hans contributed 40 with seven boundaries and Khan scored a 55-ball 42 that included six hits to the fence.
But after the two departed in a space of six runs, skipper Ataur Rahman and Aamir Hanif put on 79 invaluable runs for the seventh wicket in 82 minutes to pile further agony on the airline bowlers.
Rahman used the long handle effectively to hammer five boundaries and a six in his 57-ball 43 while Aamir Hanif scored 29.
However, when it appeared Allied Bank were running away with the match, Nadeem and Ali Gohar combined to remove the last four wickets for the addition of 15 runs. Nadeem had Ata and Aamir while Gohar removed Mohammad Akram and Aamir Nazir.
Day 4: Zahid helps PIA beat ABL
By Our Sports Reporter
KARACHI, Jan 13: Zahid Fazal struck a superb unbeaten 78 to spearhead Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to a four-wicket win over Allied Bank and which also helped the winners ward off the ignominy of relegation in Patron's Trophy.
The national carriers, resuming on the final day of the four-day match at the National Stadium at 66 for four and chasing 169 for victory, slumped onto further depths of crisis when they lost Nadeem Khan (9) and Aamir Malik (3) in the first 30 minutes of play to be reduced to 84 for six.
But Zahid Fazal, together with last innings hero Moin Khan, steered PIA to victory without any further damage as the airlines notched their first win of the season in 80 minutes.
Fazal, who was overnight 19, batted with controlled aggression to slam 14 delightful boundaries in his 105-ball knock that spanned over 141 minutes.
Fazal reached his half century from 91 balls with eight elegant boundaries.
Moin Khan, who scored 129 in the first innings, remained unbeaten on 24 with three boundaries. He faced 41 balls.
The two batsmen added 86 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket. Fazal drove gracefully and cut ferociously to show that he was still one of the finest and elegant looking batsmen in the domestic circuit today. But what has been badly lacking in him is the element of consistency. At the Test level, he faltered despite being a heavy scorer at the Under-19 and domestic levels. Even this season, he has come in bits and pieces but he delivered his best today when his team desperately needed a match-winning knock from him.
Allied Bank, though suffered their second loss of the round robin league, still topped the eight-team table with 46 points. They now face Habib Bank in the final. Habib Bank sneaked ahead of National Bank and KRL to finish with 28 points. NBP finished with 26 points and KRL ended up with 20 points.
Allied Bank Test pace duo of Mohammad Akram and Aamir Nazir were attacking and hostile from the very start. But it was Akram who provided the breakthrough by sending Nadeem Khan's stumps cartwheeling. In the following over, Aamir Nazir destroyed the symmetry of Aamir Malik's stumps to put Allied Bank on top of the match. But Zahid Fazal and Moin Khan had other ideas as they batted carefully and confidently to score the remaining runs without being separated. Mohammad Akram finished with three for 59 for a match figures of six for 152 while Aamir Nazir ended up with three for 70 for a match analysis of eight for 174.