KARACHI, April 7: Danish Kaneria nudged the Pakistan selectors when he made a telling contribution on his first appearance in the ongoing ABN-Amro National One-day Cup to help Habib Bank reach final with a five-wicket win over National Bank at the National Stadium here on Monday.

The Pakistan leg-spinner, who has not added to his 18 One-day International caps since playing in the 2007 World Cup match against Zimbabwe in Kingston, claimed four wickets after remodelling his bowling action during the spinners’ camp recently in Lahore.

Kaneria, playing in the absence of Shahid Afridi who is on national duty with his team-mates Younis Khan and Umar Gul, was instrumental in restricting National Bank to 262 for eight after Naumanullah chose to bat in the first semi-final.

Habib Bank had to overcame a stuttering start before qualifying for Thursday’s final against SNGPL with Khaqan Arsal, Kamran Hussain, Farhan Iqbal and Salman Qadir all making invaluable contributions.

The highlight of the day was the return of Mohammad Asif to action after having recuperated from an elbow surgery that sidelined from the tour of India last year.

Despite looking understandably rusty, but the 25-year-old right-arm paceman bowled a beauty with the fourth ball of Habib Bank’s innings to uproot Riffatullah Mohmand’s off stump with a trademark delivery that darted in sharply.

While his first five overs cost just 10 runs, Asif came off after conceding 14 in his sixth over. And when he returned for a two-over spell, the match was firmly in Habib Bank’s grasp as Khaqan (70 at run-a-ball, five fours and one six) and Salman (34 off 35 balls, five boundaries) shared an unbroken partnership of 76 to settle the issue beyond doubt.

Kamran also played a vital knock of 52 during his stand of 78 with Khaqan. The all-rounder struck four fours and one six while facing 44 deliveries.

Earlier, wicket-keeper/batsman Farhan scored a 64-ball 44 with four hits to the fence.

National Bank, in the end, probably fell short by around 20 runs after makeshift openers Rashid Riaz (61 off 85 balls, two fours) and Imran Javed (66 off 75 balls, 10 fours) had provided the ideal launching pad by adding 96 before Aslam Qureshi made the initial breakthrough in the 20th over.

Kaneria, in a reminiscent of the legendary Shane Warne bowling action, forced Naumanullah (13) into heaving a flighted delivery to the deep midwicket region where Salman held a fine catch.

Rashid, included for his first game in the enforced absence of Salman Butt and Nasir Jamshed who along with Kamran Akmal, Fawad Alam and Wahab Riaz are also in national duty, unwisely chased a leg-break, and only succeeded in edging a catch to the keeper.

Kaneria also got rid of Amin-ur-Rehman and Tahir Mughal to end up with excellent return of four for 36 in 10 overs, while Mansoor Amjad tried his best to lift the tempo by striking an unbeaten 37 off 34 balls.

Aslam and fellow slow left-armer Abdul Rehman shared four wickets between.

Scoreboard