April 03, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 25, 1429

KARACHI, April 2: PIA are virtually through to the semi-finals of the ABN-Amro National One-day Cricket Cup after clinching a 16-run victory over Lahore Eagles in the Super Eight Group ‘B’ fixture at the UBL Sports Complex here on Thursday.

The result also ensured PIA maintain their unbeaten sequence in the ongoing tournament with this their seventh victory, which was set up by a crucial 83-run stand between Sarfraz Ahmed and Tahir Khan after skipper Faisal Iqbal opted to sit out the match with a minor ankle injury.

PIA, put into bat, were in some strife when Yasir Hameed was fifth out in the 31st over for a 79-ball 62. The opener, who hit five fours and one six, had held the innings together after having put on 76 with Fahad Iqbal (42 off 62 balls, five boundaries).

It was the Sarfraz-Tahir partnership that eventually led to PIA reaching 269-9 in their 50 overs. Sarfraz, the plucky wicket-keeper/batsman, was run out for a fine 41 that came off 45 balls with three hits to the fence.

Tahir showed his all-round worthiness by smashing four sixes and one four in making an invaluable 65 off only 52 deliveries before becoming one of three victims for the Eagles captain Junaid Zia.

Earlier, Kashif Siddique had chipped in with three wickets with his occasional leg-spin earlier in the innings.

Ashfaq Ahmed provided the early entertainment when it was Eagles’ turn to bat. The right-handed opener slammed six fours and three sixes in scoring a 53-ball 54. Kashif Siddique slapped five boundaries while contributing 31 off 26 balls.

But barring the efforts of Ali Haider (37) and Ashraf Ali, who made a sluggish 29 off 65 balls, the Eagles innings subsided against the accurate bowling of Nauman Alvi. The slow left-armer was amply rewarded for his efforts with figures of three for 42.

Scoreboard

PIA:Khurram Manzoor c and b Waqas 8

Yasir Hameed c Junaid b K. Siddique 62

Kamran Sajid c K. Siddique b Arsalan 10

Fahad Iqbal b K. Siddique 42

Agha Sabir c Arsalan b K. Siddique 2

Sarfraz Ahmed run out 41

Tahir Khan b Junaid 65

Anwar Ali c Waqas b Junaid 9

Nauman Alvi c Ashraf b Junaid 6

Ali Imran Pasha not out 4

Najaf Shah not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-16, NB-3) 20

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 269

FALL OF WKTS: 1-24, 2-51, 3-137, 4-141,

5-142, 6-229, 7-255, 8-265, 9-266.

BOWLING: Junaid Zia 9-0-56-3 (12w); Waqas Ahmed 8-1-30-1 (1w); Arsalan Mir

4-0-30-1 (2nb); Sohail Ahmed 9-0-54-0 (2w); Kashif Shafi 10-1-38-0 (1w); Ahmed Shahzad 1-0-12-0; Kashif Siddique 9-0-46-3 (1nb).

LAHORE EAGLES:

Ahmed Shahzad c Sarfraz b Ali Imran 18

Ashfaq Ahmed run out 54

Kashif Siddique c Anwar b Kamran 31

Ali Haider b Najaf 37

Ashraf Ali st Sarfraz b Nauman 29

Arsalan Mir lbw b Anwar 8

Junaid Zia c Fahad b Nauman 16

Waqas Ahmed run out 7

Sohail Ahmed not out 12

Farhan Khan c and b Nauman 4

Kashif Shafi lbw b Ali Imran 4

EXTRAS (LB-12, W-16, NB-5) 33

TOTAL (all out, 46 overs) 253

FALL OF WKTS: 1-40, 2-112, 3-112, 4-185,

5-196, 6-208, 7-218, 8-224, 9-243.

BOWLING: Najaf Shah 9-1-58-1 (2nb, 5w); Anwar Ali 9-0-47-1 (3nb, 7w); Ali Imran Pasha 8-1-33-2 (1w); Tahir Khan 6-0-42-0 (1w); Kamran Sajid 4-0-19-1; Nauman Alvi 10-0-42-3 (2w).

RESULT: PIA won by 16 runs.

UMPIRES: Nadeem Ghauri and Raweed Khan.

MATCH REFEREE: Mahmood Rasheed.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Tahir Khan.