LAHORE, March 31: A superb century by National Bank’s Kamran Akmal remained futile in the end as the Group ‘A’ Super Eight match of the ABN-Amro National One-day Cricket Championship between the NBP and Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) ended in a thrilling tie at the Sheikhupura Stadium on Monday.
Helped by a fine century by Test wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal (118, 11 fours, three sixes, 129 balls) who was supported by Naumanullah (66, seven fours, 87 balls), the NBP, consuming 49.5 overs, set a stiff target of 268 for the KRL. Test bowler Yasir Arafat captured five wickets for 42.
However, backed by three half-centuries from opener Saeed Anwar Junior (56), Ali Naqvi (79) and Ali Khan (54), the KRL managed to level the total of 267 for the loss of eight wickets as the stipulated 50 overs were completed.
Leg-spinner Qaiser Abbas grabbed four wickets for 45 for the NBP.
Though the bankers failed to win, the heroic performance by Kamran Akmal was the nucleolus of the exciting match. He not only hit a century but also had four stumpings and one catch behind the wicket.
Kamran, with his captain Naumanullah, also steadied the innings by adding 190 runs for the third wicket after the bankers had lost two wickets for just eight runs on the board.
Scoreboard
NATIONAL BANK:
Salman Butt b Yasir 9
Nasir Jamshed c Bazid b Sohail 0
Kamran Akmal run out 118
Naumanullah c Ali Khan b Yasir 66
Fawad Alam b Sohail 22
Shahid Yousuf c S. Ajmal b S. Anwar 12
Mansoor Amjad c S. Anwar b S. Ajmal 11
Tahir Mughal b Yasir 8
Qaiser Abbas c Wasim b Yasir 0
Wahab Riaz not out 3
Irfanuddin b Yasir 0
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-6, W-11, NB-1) 22
TOTAL (all out, 49.5 overs) 267
FALL OF WKTS: 1-8, 2-8, 3-198, 4-217, 5-243, 6-249, 7-261, 8-265, 9-266.
BOWLING: Sohail Tanvir10-0-54-2 (6w); Yasir Arafat 9.5-1-42-5 (3w); Khalique Ahmed 5-0-38-0 (1nb); Ali Naqvi 7-0-30-0; Saeed Ajmal 8-0-40-1 (1w); Saeed Anwar Jr 10-0-53-1 (1w).
KRL:
Saeed Anwar Jr c Irfan b Qaiser 56
Mohammad Wasim c Qaiser b Tahir 1
Ali Naqvi st Kamran b Qaiser 79
Azhar Ali st Kamran b Qaiser 20
Bazid Khan st Kamran b Irfan 29
Sohail Tanvir c Kamran b Qaiser 3
Ali Khan c Shahid b Irfan 54
Yasir Arafat st Kamran b Wahab 2
Zulfiqar Jan not out 8
Saeed Ajmal not out 1
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-10, NB-2) 14
TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 267
FALL OF WKTS: 1-3, 2-134, 3-157, 4-171,
5-178, 6-249, 7-256, 8-259.
DID NOT BAT: Khalique Ahmed.
BOWLING: Wahab Riaz 10-1-38-1 (4w); Tahir Mughal 9-1-52-1 (1w); Fawad Alam 7-0-34-0 (1w); Irfanuddin 8-0-54-2 (2w); Mansoor Amjad 7-0-42-0- (2nb, 1w); Qaiser Abbas 9-0-45-4 (1w).
RESULT: Match tied.
UMPIRES: Iftikhar Malik and Jamil Kamran.
MATCH REFEREE: Arshad Pervez.
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