Faisalabad wrap up innings win against Karachi Harbour

Faisalabad required only two days to defeat Karachi Harbour by an innings and two runs at the Gaddafi Stadium and boost their chances of winning the Pentangular Cup Cricket Championship.

After having recovered from 168 for 7 to 312 on the opening day, Faisalabad dismissed Karachi Harbour for 144 and 166 on the second day. Shahid Nazir, the former Pakistan fast-medium bowler, picked up 4 for 34 in Karachi's first innings, while Asad Ali took 3 for 30 in nine. In the second innings, Samiullah Niazi, the left-arm bowler, and Ahmed Hayat collected three wickets each.

For Faisalabad, Mohammad Salman, the wicketkeeper, not only top-scored in the match with 71 but also kept impeccably, conceding only one bye and claiming five dismissals including two stumpings in the last few overs.

Fawad Alam contributed usefully in both Karachi innings, scoring 30 off 60 balls in the first with four boundaries, and then remained unbeaten with 56 off 90 deliveries with nine fours. Opener Khalid Latif also made 56 runs in the second innings for Karachi Harbour and shared a 78-run fifth-wicket stand with Fawad.

Faisalabad have ended their match programme, having won three and lost one of their four games to finish with 27 points. With table leaders National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) surrendering the first-innings lead to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in Multan, Faisalabad have gained a reprieve in the meantime.

National Bank of Pakistan's ambition to win the 2005-06 Pentangular Cup Cricket Championship received a dent as they conceded a crucial first-innings lead to Pakistan International Airlines on the second day at Multan.

Thanks to some effective performances by the fast bowlers, NBP were bowled out for a modest 207 which gave PIA a lead of 35 as they had scored 242 on the opening day. By the close of play, PIA's openers had rattled off 86 and gave their team an overall lead of 121 with all second-innings wickets in hand.

After Salman Butt had been dismissed cheaply, Nasir Jamshed (36) and captain Naumanullah (27) added 60 runs for the second wicket for NBP. Then, within seven runs, NBP slipped to 69 for 5. The sixth-wicket stand added 53 runs, with Yasir Arafat scoring 31, but the score was soon poor at 123 for 7, 119 runs short of PIA's total. Allrounder Imran Javed and Mohammad Sami then added 76 runs for the eighth wicket.

Sami, who has not only been among the wickets but is also scoring useful runs since being dropped from the national squad, hit 45 off 48 balls with three fours and a six. Imran remained unbeaten with 38 off 54 deliveries with five boundaries.

Umar Gul captured 4 for 64 while his new-ball partner Fazl-e-Akbar, Najaf Shah and Jannisar Khan all bagged two wickets each.

Ghulam Ali, ended the day at 38 not out off 70 balls with four fours and the other PIA opener Agha Sabir scored an unbeaten 41 off 76 balls with the help of six boundaries.

NBP, who still have another match in hand after this one, need to better Faisalabad's final points tally of 27 to win the Pentangular Cup. They have currently 18 points but won't get more than six points even if they come back and beat PIA, as they've already conceded the first-innings lead.