KARACHI, March 28: Rawalpindi Rams booked their Super Eight spot from Group ‘D’ with a convincing 111-run victory over ZTBL in the last round of ABN-Amro National One-day Cup preliminary matches on Friday.

The winners of the clash at Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad finished runners-up to the high-flying PIA from this pool.

Yasir Ali, the medium-pacer who is on the comeback trail after a surprise Test debut against Bangladesh at Multan in September 2003, was the Rams’ hero. After scoring 37 off 31 balls, Yasir picked up three top-order wickets to wreck ZTBL’s hopes.

PIA strolled to their fifth successive win when they whipped SSGC by nine wickets here at the National Stadium with Khurram Manzoor (73) and Kamran Sajid (80) adding 163 for the unbroken second-wicket stand.

Meanwhile, Karachi Dolphins ended in what had been a distressful campaign on a winning note by scoring a 69-run win over Abbottabad Rhinos at the UBL Sports Complex. Skipper Shadab Kabir led from the front with an unbeaten 141 off 142 balls.

Summarised scores:

At National Stadium, Karachi: PIA beat SSGC by nine wickets.

SSGC 166 in 47.2 overs (Saeed bin Nasir 46, Mansoor Ali 35; Nauman Alvi 3-31, Kamran Sajid 2-23, Tahir khan 2-32); PIA 168-1 in 44.2 overs (Kamran Sajid 80 not out, Khurram Manzoor 73 not out).

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: Karachi Dolphins beat Abbottabad Rhinos by 69 runs.

KARACHI DOLPHINS 279-3 in 50 overs (Shadab Kabir 141 not out, Akbar Rehman 40, Faraz Patel 36): ABBOTTABAD RHINOS 210 in 48.5 overs (Usman Khan 53, Wajid Ali 35; Mohammad Ali 3-38, Shahzaib Khan 3-38).

At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad: Rawalpindi Rams beat ZTBL by 111 runs.

RAWALPINDI RAMS 255-8 in 50 overs (Yasim Murtaza 53 not out, Babar Naeem 42, Yasir Ali 37; Junaid Nadir 3-28, Zohaib Khan 2-50); ZTBL 144 in 44 overs (Zohaib Khan 59, Shakeel Ansar 33; Yasir Ali 3-16, Naveed Qureshi 2-23, Yasim Murtaza 2-26, Mohammad Aamir 2-30).

Our Sports Reporter adds from Lahore: Teenaged opening batsman Ahmed Shahzad bludgeoned 92 off only 49 balls to lead Lahore Eagles into the Super Eight round from Group ‘C’ with a stunning four-wicket win over National Bank at Gaddafi Stadium.

However despite their defeat, the bankers qualified for the next round.

Set a tall target of 335, the Eagles achieved their objective with just three balls to spare, thanks to Ahmed, who hammered 15 fours and three sixes. Ashraf Ali also played a key part by making a 93-ball 75 not out that included two boundaries.

Earlier, Test wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal cracked 90 off 96 balls (eight fours), skipper Naumanullah (50), Shahid Yousuf (61) and Mansoor Amjad (52 not out) as National Bank reached 334-6.

A century by former Test batsman Farhan Adil guided Pakistan Customs to facile three-wicket win against Faisalabad Wolves in an inconsequential Group ‘C’ fixture in Faisalabad.

Misbah-ul-Haq helped SNGPL top Group ‘B’ with a fine century in Sialkot. The Pakistan vice-captain struck 10 fours and two sixes in making 107 as SNGPL defeated Sialkot Stallions by 117 runs.

Wapda also made it to the next stage despite suffering a shock 27-run defeat in Sheikhupura against the previously winless Multan Tigers.

Summarised scores:

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: Lahore Eagles beat National Bank by four wickets.

NATIONAL BANK 334-6 in 50 overs (Kamran Akmal 90, Shahid Yousuf 61, Naumanullah 50, Mansoor Amjad 52 not out, Nasir Jamshed 45; Waqas Ahmed 3-61, Azam Khan 2-56); LAHORE EAGLES 337-6 in 49.3 overs (Ahmed Shahzad 92, Ashraf Ali 75 not out, Arsalan Mir 38, Ashfaq Ahmed 35, Kashif Siddique 33, Junaid Zia 31; Irfanuddin 4-58).

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: Pakistan Customs beat Faisalabad Wolves by three wickets.

FAISALABAD WOLVES 246 in 48.5 overs (Usman Arshad 81, Ijaz Ahmed Jr 49, Mohammad Sami 43, Ahmed Hayat 33; Majid Majeed 3-42, Yasir Shah 2-35, Hamid Hasan 2-35, Raees Amjad 2-64); PAKISTAN CUSTOMS 250-7 in 49.5 overs (Farhan Adil 100, Rehan Rafiq 51; Usman Arshad 3-37, Ahmed Hayat 2-27).

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: SNGPL beat Sialkot Stallions by 117 runs.

SNGPL 296-9 in 50 overs (Misbah-ul-Haq 107, Umar Akmal 66, Mohammad Hafeez 40; Tariq Mahmood 3-53, Nayyar Abbas 2-49, Mohammad Ali Bhutta 2-63, Bilawal Bhatti 2-63); SIALKOT STALLIONS 179 in 42.5 overs (Kamran Younis 51, Nayyar Abbas 40; Mohammad Hafeez 3-45, Imran Khalid 2-28, Asad Ali 2-29, Tauqir Hussain 2-33).

At Sheikhupura Stadium: Multan Tigers beat Wapda by 27 runs.

MULTAN TIGERS 298-7 in 50 overs (Imranullah 60, Mohammad Hafeez Sr 45, Ansar Javed 38 not out, Abdul Rehman 32, Hammad Tariq 31, Rameez Alam 31); WAPDA 271 in 49.2 overs (Aamir Sajjad 111 not out, Zulqarnain Haider 38, Bilal Khilji 32; Rahat Ali 3-58, Ansar Javed 2-61).

Sports Reporter adds from Islamabad: Habib Bank joined KRL in the Super Eight round from Group ‘A’ after scoring a five-wicket victory against Lahore Lions at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi.

The Lions, electing to bat first, made 256-8 in their 50 overs with Asif Khan (100 off 122 balls, 11 fours and two sixes) the chief run-getter. Pakistan paceman Umar Gul returned impressive figures of three for 29.

Despite skipper Younis Khan failing again (the Pakistan star scored only two), the bankers were home in the 48th over with good contributions from Aftab Khan (83), Riffatullah Mohmand (70) and Sajid Shah (58).

In the remaining matches, KRL made it five wins out of five as Peshawar Panthers were walloped by 142 runs in Peshawar, while Umar Khan (105 off 97 balls, 15 fours and one six) guided Islamabad Leopards to an eight-wicket success against Quetta Bears.

Summarised scores:

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: Islamabad Leopards beat Quetta Bears by eight wickets.

QUETTA BEARS 204 in 48.4 overs (Naseem Khan 61, Hameedullah 45l Raheel Majeed 3-48); ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 206-2 in 30.1 overs (Umair Khan 105 not out, Raheel Majeed 55).

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi: Habib Bank beat Lahore Lions by five wickets.

LAHORE LIONS 256-8 in 50 overs (Asif Khan 100, Ahmed Butt 54, Mohammad Hussain 36, Junaid Malik 34; Umar Gul 3-29, Aslam Qureshi 2-33, Abdul Rehman 2-35); HABIB BANK 261-5 in 47.4 overs (Aftab Khan 83, Riffatullah Mohmand 70, Sajid Shah 58; Sibtain Raza 50, Mohammad Naved 2-53).

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: KRL beat Peshawar Panthers by 142 runs.

KRL 319-7 in 50 overs (Azhar Ali 119, Bazid Khan 100, Mohammad Wasim 59; Inamullah 4-71); PESHAWAR PANTHERS 177 in 31.4 overs (Jamaluddin 81 not out; Yasir Arafat 4-45, Khalique Ahmed 3-35, Saeed Ajmal 2-24).

Super Eight schedule