Playing like true professionals, the defending champions Allied Bank (ABL) entered final of the 17th National One-Day Cricket Tournament, thrashing star-studded Karachi Blues by 115 runs in a fightless semi-final under the floodlight at Qadhafi Stadium, before a small crowd of 2,000 on Wednesday.
Set to chase a daunting target of 303 in the stipulated 50 overs, the Karachi Blues could not make it a match throughout the innings and collected 187 for nine.
With the induction of former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad and duo of Test players Basit Ali and Mansoor Akhter, the Karachi team looked quite capable of giving a tough fight, but early assault of the ABL pacemen Aaqib Javed and Ata-ur-Rehman had reduced them to five for 66 in 15 overs.
Ata-ur-Rehman for his all-round performance was adjudged the man of the match. He scored 16-ball 37 and took two wickets for 32.
The second pre-final will be played between PIA and Khan Research Laboratories on Thursday at the same venue.
Javed Miandad came at the crease to join Basit Ali when the Karachi team was trailing at four for 58. They together, could add only eight runs, before Basit Ali was caught by Aley Haider at short square-leg for 9. He hit one four and consumed 20 balls.
Miandad, however, with skipper Munir-ul-Haq slowly and steadily saved the Karachi team from further collapse and crossed the 100-run mark safely. At 124, Javed Miandad after playing cautiously for a long time tried to play with long handle and lost wicket. In the 34th over, Miandad hit Wajahatullah powerfully to mid-wicket for four. In next over, he dispatched Manzoor Akhtar for four at mid-wicket. On the very next ball, Manzoor Akhter caught and bowled Miandad for 38 off 62 balls. Miandad faced 62 deliveries .
Javed Miandad and captain Munir-ul-Haq in their sixth wicket partnership put on 58 runs off 114 balls. Another good partnership was made between Munir-ul-Haq and Arif Mahmood who added 54 runs in their seventh wicket collaboration. Munir-ul-Haq remained unbeaten for 50 without any big stroke.
Openers Zafar Jadoon resisted a little, scoring quickfire 37 runs off 43 balls laced with four boundaries and one six. His co-opener Suleman Huda (5), Atiq-uz-Zaman (1) and Mansoor Akhter (0) failed to give the Karachi team a good start.
Aaqib Javed sent down seven overs to claim two wickets for 26. Off-spinner Arshad Khan also bowled well, taking two wickets. Earlier, Karachi Blues' captain Munir-ul-Haq won the tossand put in ABL side to bat first on a flat strip. The decision backfired as openers Muhammad Nawaz and Wajahatullah plundered 91 runs off 96 deliveries to lay a solid foundation for the ABL innings. After the attack bowlers Lal Faraz and Shahid Iqbal failed to make any impression on the openers, the KCCA Blues' skipper made quick bowling changes and switched into attack Suleman Huda, Arif Mahmood, Test off-spinner Tauseef Ahmad, Test cricketer Mansoor Akhtar and Basit Ali.
Leg-spinner Arif Mahmood eventullay succeeded in breaking the stubborn first-wicket partnership as Wajahatullah attempted a big hit and missed the line of the ball. He was smartly stumped by wicketkeeper Atiq-uz-Zaman. He scored 37 off 42 balls and hit three boundaries and a big six.
Nawaz found another good partner in skipper Ramiz Raja and both further consolidated the innings by adding valuable 74 runs on 88 balls for the second wicket stand. Mansoor Akhtar broke the partnership as he had Ramiz Raja caught by Arif Mahmood at long-on. Ramiz posted a polished knock of 41 off 46 balls, laced with three fours.
Basit Ali got the prized wicket of Muhammad Nawaz, halting his march towards a century. Nawaz was stumped by Atiq-uz-Zaman for his top-score of 82 off 118 balls. He cracked five boundaries.
Manzoor Akhtar and Aaley Haider added another useful 60 runs in their fourth wicket partnership before the latter was caught by Arif Mahmood off spinner Tauseef Ahmad at the total of 238. Without adding any runs, Tauseef Ahmad again struck as he had Manzoor Akhter caught by Basit Ali for 39 off 41 balls, with three elegent boundaries.
Tailenders Ata-ur-Rehman and Taimur Khan (27, 16 balls, two fours, one six) in their sixth wicket stand collected another rapid 48 runs in 24 balls to help ABL cross the 300 mark.
Tauseef Ahmad snared two wickets for 57. Paceman Lal Faraz, leg-spinner Arif Mehmood, Basit Ali and Mansoor Akhter took one wicket each.