Allied Bank (ABL) retained its national one-day cricket champions title beating PIA in the final of the 17th edition of the tournament by an impressive margin of 32 at the Qadhafi Stadium under lights on Saturday night.
Defending a total of 248, the ABL skipper Ramiz Raja used his bowlers rightly and with fine field placing shot out the PIA side for 216 in 48.3 overs.
A third wicket stand of 100 runs off 128 balls, between skipper Asif Mujtaba (40, one four, 58 balls) and Zahid Fazal (57, five fours, 88 balls) was the only main resistance in the ABL way of victory.
Ramiz Raja for his 79-ball 68 and fine captaincy, was adjudged the man of the match.
Ata-ur-Rahman grabbed three wickets included two prized wickets of Asif Mujtaba and Zahid Fazal to finish with three for 41. Other paceman Aaqib Javed took two wickets for 34. Off-spinner Arshad Khan also bowled well and snared two wickets for 44.
Salim Malik of Habib Bank for his accumulating total of 391 runs was declared the man of the tournament. Manzoor Akhtar (ABL) with a haul of 16 wickets was adjudged the best bowlers of the tournament, Javed Qadeer (PIA) for 18 catches and six stumps was announced the best wicketkeeper and Aamir Nazir the best fielder of the tournament.
Earlier, the PIA leg-spin trio of ZahidAhmad, Asif Mujtaba and Nadeem Khan, with three run outs, bowledout the ABL team at 248 in 48 overs after the ABL had reached 211 for four in 40.3 overs.
Asif Mujtaba and Nadeem Khan came in to bowl after the pace attack of Muhammad Zahid and Wasim Haider had conceded 73 runs in first 10 overs. Mujtaba played key role in slowing down the ABL high run-rate of seven an over. He conceded just 15 runs in his first spell of six overs and also broke the well set second wicket partnership of Ramiz Raja and opener Muhammad Nawaz who plundered 61-ball 68 runs. Asif got Muhammad Nawaz lbw for 25 (37 balls, four fours) to make it 74 for two.
Their austere bowling gave the ABL team just 41 runs in next 20 overs to make the total 114 for two.
Skipper Ramiz Raja in third wicket stand with Manzoor Akhtar put on valuable 80 runs off 106 and took the total to a commanding position of 154. At this point it looked that the ABL teamwas all set to hit up a total of 300 runs. But, Ramiz Raja while attempting a big shot was stumped by wicketkeeper Javed Qadeer off Zahid Ahmad to make it 154 for three. Ramiz scored 68 with a chance. He was dropped by Ghulam Ali at deep-leg-square at 17 and the total was 46. Ramiz cracked five fours and faced 107 balls. He completed his 50 off 60 balls with four fours.
Test discard Ijaz Ahmad Junior lived up to the ABL hope for a challenging total and with Manzoor Akhtar crossed the 200-run mark in 38.2 overs. Eleven runs latter, Ijaz Ahmad Junior was run out for 30 off 40 balls with one four. Ijaz's dismissal followed a collapse and remaining six batsmen went cheaply for 37 runs with two overs yet to be bowled.
Two wickets in the 44th and 45th overs each, cut short the ABL team from 226 for four to 230 for 8.
First Zahid Ahmad multiplied the ABL problems getting Ata-ur-Rahman lbw for four off the first delivery of the 44th over. The last ball saw, the new man Taimur Khan caught behind by Javed Qadeer for two at the total of 230.
In next over, the ABL team suffered a severe blow, losing two wickets without adding any runs. The well set Manzoor Akhtar was run out for 68, shattering the ABL hopes for a total of 300. Akhtar consumed 107 balls and hit one four.
Bilal Rana was the third man to be run out for duck making the ABL position look shaky at 230 for 8.
At 246, Hamayoun Farhat was trapped lbw by paceman Muhammad Zahid. Nadeem Khan had Zahid Ahmad caught by Arshed Khan to finish the ABL innings at 248 in 48 overs. Nadeem Khan gave 44 runs for one wicket.