Sialkot last-round hurdle for Karachi Blues to avoid relegation

KARACHI: Karachi Blues, who clinched the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship last season with a totally different outlook to their squad, brace for an anxious last-round clash with Sialkot to avoid being relegated to second tier competition for rest of the season.

With the format drastically changed from that of the previous season when players of the much stronger departmental sides also played for their respective regional outfits, Karachi Blues this season have looked less formidable with cricketers who are just an average lot.

But luckily for the Blues, their fixture against Sialkot has been moved from Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot to down south Karachi’s Southend Club owing to inclement weather with visibility being the main issue because of heavy fog prevalent at this time of the year in various parts of the Punjab.

Therefore, being on familiar home territory brightens the champions’ prospects of finishing among the top four at the conclusion of the preliminary round and automatic qualification for the Super Eight stage that starts from Jan 4.

Because of the necessitated change in venue, this game will begin two days late than schedule from Monday (Dec 23), with the National One-day Cup tie between these teams taking place next Friday (Dec 27) at the National Stadium.

If Karachi Blues lose to Sialkot then Abbottabad would be in contention to clinch the remaining Super Eight spot from Group-I if they gain maximum points against struggling Lahore Ravi at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Sialkot have already reached the Super Eight round.

Two other Quaid Trophy matches have also been shifted. Multan, who were due to host Islamabad at the Multan Cricket Stadium, will now face them here at the NBP Sports Complex. Likewise, Bahawalpur will now travel to Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar instead of hosting Peshawar at their Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur. Both these matches will begin as per original schedule from Saturday.

The Super Eight qualifiers from Group-II are Karachi Whites at the moment with Lahore Shalimar almost certain to join if they either defeat Hyderabad or gain first innings lead if the game at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad is drawn.

Faisalabad are also very much in the running for a Super Eight place if they manage to create a huge upset victory against Karachi Whites here at the National Stadium. If they fail in their mission impossible then both Islamabad and Multan would progress regardless of the outcome of their match.

The three sides finishing near the tail of the standings from each pool will fight it out in the event called ‘Bottom Six Teams’. Thus far Bahawalpur and Lahore Ravi from Group-I along with Group-II minnows Quetta and Hyderabad have their fate already sealed.

Meanwhile, buoyed by their clinical innings victory against Port Qasim Authority (PQA) in the President’s Trophy game at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot last Sunday, Habib Bank Limited (HBL) are eagerly looking forward to get the better of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) when they meet at the Marghazar Cricket Ground in Islamabad from Saturday.The HBL-Wapda fixture is one of four President’s Trophy fixtures which were moved from originally announced venues because of the foggy weather. Previously this game was slated for Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium.

The other matches moved are the State Bank of Pakistan-Pakistan Television game from LCCA Ground in Lahore to National Cricket Ground in Islamabad, the Khan Research Laboratories-United Bank Limited tie to KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi from Sargodha’s Sports Stadium and the top-of-the-table clash meeting between Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited and National Bank of Pakistan from Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium to Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad.

The solitary match not to get entangled in the venue-switch hassle is the one between Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited and Pakistan International Airlines which will be played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi as decided previously.

Schedule (Dec 21-24):

President’s Trophy

Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited v Pakistan International Airlines (Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi); Khan Research Laboratories v United Bank Limited (KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi); Pakistan Television v State Bank of Pakistan (National Cricket Ground, Islamabad); Habib Bank Limited v Water and Power Development Authority (Marghazar Cricket Ground, Islamabad); National Bank of Pakistan v Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad).

Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship:

Group-I:

Peshawar v Bahawalpur (Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar); Abbottabad v Lahore Ravi (Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad). Dec 23-26: Karachi Blues v Sialkot (Southend Club, Karachi).

Group-II:

Karachi Whites v Faisalabad (National Stadium, Karachi); Islamabad v Multan (NBP Sports Complex, Karachi); Hyderabad v Lahore Shalimar (Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad).

Current standings

(Tabulated under: played, won, lost, drawn, points):

President’s Trophy

Sui Northern Gas 6 5 1 0 46

National Bank 5 3 0 2 30

Port Qasim 6 2 3 1 22

Water and Power 6 2 2 2 22

Khan Research 6 1 1 4 21

United Bank 5 2 2 1 18

Zarai Taraqiati 5 2 3 0 18

Habib Bank 5 1 1 3 13

Pakistan International 5 1 2 2 9