KARACHI: Wapda ended their long drought at first-class level by clinching the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship crown on Thursday after the day-night final against Habib Bank Limited (HBL) culminated in a draw the National Stadium.

Appropriately, it was the calming influence of skipper Salman Butt that played a decisive role in Wapda’s deserved triumph after many years of pain. The ex-Pakistan captain completed his redemption on comeback to the first-class arena after a hiatus of more than six years by scoring century in each innings of the title-decider.

The 32-year-old left-hander followed up 125 in the first dig with an innings of great substance to re-establish credentials as still the best opening batsman in the country. Showing tremendous resilience and immense power of concentration to contribution 105, a 337-ball marathon effort featuring 16 boundaries, while occupying the crease altogether since Wapda were asked to chase an improbable 444 on Wednesday.

On a last-day pitch that showed no signs of abnormal behaviour despite being six-day old, Salman was the major difference between a draw that obviously suited Wapda and a victory which HBL had been going after in the wake of conceding a 42-run lead on the first innings.

The foremost objective at start of play from Wapda’s perspective was to bat out the remaining three sessions and they did it so without any hassle to negotiate 75 overs while adding 115 runs to the overnight tally of 83-2.

The solitary success for HBL took a while to achieve when occasional leg-spin of Imam-ul-Haq accounted for Mohammad Saad who doubled his Wednesday score of 20. Saad was trapped leg-before-wicket for 135-ball 40 that was laced with five boundaries.

Seasoned Aamir Sajjad held his intact until the end to remain unbeaten on 25. The right-hander’s 141-ball knock included five hits to the fence.

The only time HBL ever came close to dislodging Salman came in the over before the tea interval when Rameez Aziz got one to hurry on but umpire Ahsan Raza remained unimpressed. Replays confirmed Salman was fortunate to survive the vociferous shout for leg-before-wicket.

But it didn’t matter since it was always going to be a battle of attrition. In the end Wapda had more than enough throughout the championship to lay rightful claims on the Rs2.5 million winners’ prize money, while HBL, disappointed at not pulling off an unlikely victory, settled for Rs1.5 million — an award they wouldn’t have dreamt of for most of the season.

Man behind Wapda’s grand feat was Kamran Akmal who was the runaway winner of the championship’s best batsman award after amassing 1035 runs at an average of 79.61 with the aid of no less than five centuries in only nine matches.

Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) seamer Mohammad Abbas bagged the best bowler prize for the second straight season after picking up 71 wickets at 12.74 with eight five-for hauls and three 10-wkt match bags from 10 matches.

While Salman was the undisputed man-of-the-match, the best all-rounder/outstanding performer was surprisingly given to United Bank Limited (UBL)’s Umar Siddique for scoring 362 runs and 41 dismissals. Wapda all-rounder Khalid Usman was a more deserving candidate for this prize following his tally of 334 runs and 34 wickets for the new champions.

Salman, who was understandably elated at the title-winning feat, paid tribute to his team-mates after both teams opted to end the game before the start of the 15-over mandatory period of play.

“I won’t single out any individual because everyone in our squad played a big part. To win the first major trophy is culmination of sheer hard work we all put in before the season began. And then we were struggling with fitness issues to several players in the final but still we played with a sense of purpose and unity,” Salman said. “Commiserations to Habib Bank who I thought played very well in the final. To comeback from 21-6 on day one to draw the match was a great achievement.”

Abdur Rehman, the HBL skipper who toiled through 31 wicketless overs in the second innings, lauded his charges for competing in the final.

“I must admit we didn’t do well at the group stage and were extremely fortunate to come this far. But the way my boys played in this game was very encouraging,” the discarded Test spinner commented. “Congratulations to Wapda on winning the title for the first time. They had an outstanding championship and deserved to lift the trophy.”

The two finalists now prepare to face each other again when they clash in the opening round of the National One-day Cup for Departments on Saturday.

Scoreboard

HABIB BANK (1st innings) 236 (Rameez Aziz 90, Abdur Rehman 53, Fahim Ashraf 44; Mohammad Asif 4-29, Mohammad Irfan 3-34, Khalid Usman 2-40).

WAPDA (1st Innings) 278 (Salman Butt 125, Adnan Raees 50, Kamran Akmal 35; Abdur Rehman 3-66, Fahim Ashraf 2-58).

HABIB BANK (2nd Innings) 485-1 declared (Imam-ul-Haq 200 not out, Fakhar Zaman 170, Ahmed Shehzad 104 not out).

WAPDA (2nd Innings, overnight 83-2):

Adnan Raees lbw b Usman15 Salman Butt not out105 Zahid Mansoor c Jamal b Usman1 Mohammad Saad lbw b Imam40 Aamir Sajjad not out25

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-4, NB-4)12

TOTAL (for three wkts, 111 overs)198

FALL OF WKTS: 1-30, 2-36, 3-126.

BOWLING: Fahim Ashraf 17-9-41-0 (2nb); Amad Butt 19-4-45-0 (2nb); Usman Khan Shinwari 19-5-40-2; Abdur Rehman 31-16-28-0; Rameez Aziz 7-3-16-0; Fakhar Zaman 7-4-7-0; Imam-ul-Haq 4-3-4-0; Imran Farhat 1-0-4-0; Jamal Anwar 4-3-5-0; Mohammad Waqas 2-2-0-0.

RESULT: Match drawn; Wapda win title on first innings lead.

UMPIRES: Ahsan Raza and Asif Yaqoob.

TV UMPIRE: Ahmed Shahab.

MATCH REFEREE: Ishtiaq Ahmed.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Salman Butt.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2016