KARACHI, Jan 17: Habib Bank scored a resounding innings and 217-run victory over Sui Southern Gas Corporation (SSGC) while PIA moved to the top of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship standings after defeating Karachi Whites by seven wickets here on Saturday.

Habib Bank’s stand-in skipper Danish Kaneria had a game to remember as he claimed incredible match figures of 13 for 81 at the Quaid-i-Azam Park in Steel Township. After taking a career-best eight for 59 in SSGC’s first innings on Friday, the Pakistan leg-spinner captured five for 22 as SSGC were bundled out for 122 in the second innings.

Paceman Fahad Masood proved an ideal foil for the wily Kaneria by picking up five for 38 on Saturday. In fact, all 20 wickets in this game were taken by Kaneria and Fahad, who had match figures of seven for 80.

PIA, meanwhile, pulled off a seven-wicket win against Pakistan Customs at the NBP Sports Complex to move on top of Group ‘A’ standings with 21 points.

After bowling out Pakistan Customs for 284 in the second innings with left-arm paceman Najaf Shah claiming six for 66 (match bag of 10 for 140), PIA, chasing 152 in 21 overs, raced home with 16 balls to spare thanks to blistering knocks by Kamran Sajid and Sarfraz Ahmed.

Kamran blasted 52 off 42 balls with six boundaries while Sarfraz, the talented young wicket-keeper/batsman who was promoted to No 3, hammered an unbeaten 60 off just 36 deliveries. His match-winning cameo included seven hits to the ropes.

For Customs, opener Rameez Raja shone with 117 (140 balls, 20 fours and two sixes).

National Bank, who led the standings before the start of third round, slid into third spot behind second-placed Habib Bank on net run-rate after Karachi Whites held out for draw at the DHA Stadium.

The bankers declared their second innings at 264-2 with opener Rashid Riaz making 100 (141 balls, nine fours and one six) and stand-in skipper Fawad Alam (79) in an unbroken stand of 139.

Needing an improbable 372 for victory, Karachi Whites reached 292 for eight when the match ended. Opener Ali Asad batted well to score 85.

Meanwhile, Karachi Blues settled for first-innings points in the drawn Group ‘B’ fixture against Peshawar at the UBL Sports Complex.

Our Sports Reporter adds from Lahore: ZTBL also had to settle for three points after their weather-marred match against reigning champions SNGPL ended in a draw at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha.

The Group ‘B’ tie between Islamabad and Multan was abandoned as a draw after rain washed the last two days of play at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad.

Lahore Ravi, meanwhile, gained a 46-run lead over Hyderabad after bowling out the visitors for 172 in the first innings at the LCCA Ground after Friday’s second day was completely washed out.

Lanky paceman Waqas Ahmed grabbed six for 36 in 16 overs.

Scores and results on Saturday (final day of four):

Pool ‘A’:

At Quaid-i-Azam Park, Karachi: Habib Bank beat SSGC by an innings and 217 runs.

HABIB BANK 501-8 declared in 158 overs (Ahmed Shahzad 153, Khaqan Arsal 76, Aftab Khan 76, Kamran Hussain 67); SSGC 162 in 64 overs (Danish Kaneria 8-59) and 122 in 50.2 overs (Danish Kaneria 5-22, Fahad Masood 5-38).

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: PIA beat Karachi Whites by seven wickets.

PAKISTAN CUSTOMS 310 in 110 overs (Rameez Aziz 141, Zahoor Elahi 54; Najaf Shah 4-74) and 284 in 82 overs (Rameez Raja 117; Najaf Shah 6-66); PIA 443-7 declared in 91.2 overs (Agha Sabir 160, Fahad Iqbal 61, Faisal Iqbal 61) and 152-3 in 18.4 overs (Sarfraz Ahmed 60 not out, Kamran Sajid 52).

At DHA Stadium, Karachi: Match drawn.

NATIONAL BANK 386 in 98.4 overs (Qaiser Abbas 98, Fawad Alam 87, Naumanullah 66, Fawad Alam 62; Malik Aftab 5-73, Fahad Khan 4-98) and 264-2 declared in 47.4 overs (Rashid Riaz 100 not out, Fawad Alam 79 not out, Nasir Jamshed 51).

KARACHI WHITES 279 in 92.2 overs (Afsar Nawaz 66, Khalid Latif 56l Irfanuddin 5-59) and 292-8 in 68 overs (Ali Asad 85).

At Sports Stadium, Sargodha: Match drawn.

SNGPL 156 in 59.5 overs (Junaid Nadir 4-29, Mohammad Khalil 4-32) and 75-4 in 48 overs; ZTBL 241-4 declared in 91 overs (Wajahatullah 56 not out, Aamir Bashir 51).

Pool ‘B’:

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: Match drawn.

PESHAWAR 290 in 94.5 overs (Israrullah 88, Sajjad Ahmed 68; Abdul Ameer 5-74) and 313-5 in 123 overs (Akbar Badshah 72 not out, Mahfooz Sabri 56, Sajjad Ahmed 53, Mohammad Rizwan 53 not out; KARACHI BLUES 302 in 102.2 overs (Babar Rehman 84 not out, Shaharyar Ghani 78; Imran Khan 4-43).

At Quaid-i-Azam Stadium, Mirpur: Match drawn.

FAISALABAD 252 in 74.5 overs (Mohammad Salman 65; Rizwan Akbar 4-94) and 156-7 in 76 overs (Ammar Mahmood 51; Mohammad Rameez 4-56); RAWALPINDI 379 in 112.4 overs (Babar Naeem 143, Usman Saeed 130; Saadat Munir 5-101).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad:

MULTAN 118 in 33.5 overs (Shahzad Azam 5-45) and 247-8 in 67.4 overs (Kashif Naved 56 not out, Rameez Alam 50); ISLAMABAD 159 (Abdur Rauf 5-75).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore (day three of four):

LAHORE RAVI 218 in 62.2 overs (Ali Raza 68, Waqas Ahmed 50; Naeem-ur-Rehman 4-54) and 21-2 in 9 overs; HYDERABAD 172 in 59 overs (Waqas Ahmed 6-36).