KARACHI: Discarded Test batsman Faisal Iqbal and Shoaib Khan struck defiant centuries to help Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) escape with a draw against Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) on the last day of the President’s Trophy Grade-I National Cricket Championship’s preliminary-round fixtures o Thursday.

PIA, who set a tough 356-run chase at the Mirpur Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, eventually reached 291-5 after resuming the final day of the four-day fixture at 101-4 with Shoaib making 120 before being caught behind off season’s leading wicket-taker Zulfiqar Babar.

The 30-year-old Faisal, who scored his 23rd first-class hundred, finished undefeated on 128 after sharing a match-saving partnership of 251 with Shoaib who adorned his 258-ball knock during a stay of 281 minutes with 10 boundaries and a brace of sixes. It was the 34-year-old Shoaib’s 14th century in first-class century. Faisal was more enterprising in his approach in the big stand as he sent the ball 11 times to the fence and thrice over it in his 164-ball contribution which lasted 233 minutes.

The only side to secure victory on Thursday were Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) who, as expected, completed a resounding innings and 256-run defeat of United Bank Limited (UBL) at the Marghazar Cricket Ground in Islamabad.

UBL, who resumed their second innings at 157-6, managed to add just 51 runs before being all out for 208 with nine wickets being shared by pace duo of Junaid Nadir and Junaid Zia and spinning all-rounder Zohaib Khan.

While ZTBL ended their season on a high, the defeat was bottom-placed UBL’s eighth in nine matches.

Habib Bank Limited (HBL), who will meet Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) in the final to decide the champions after the conclusion of the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup, faced only 33.2 overs on Thursday before their game against Port Qasim Authority abruptly culminated in a listless draw at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad.

Having started the day at 6-0 in reply to PQA’s huge total of 675-6 declared, openers Shan Masood and stand-in skipper Imran Farhat put on a fine partnership of 147 before Imran’s sparkling 92-ball innings of 97 – which included 15 boundaries – was terminated by Umar Amin’s occasional medium-pacers.

Umar, who will never forget this match after taking three days to make a career-best 281, also was responsible for sending back Ahmed Shehzad for 25. Shan remained 58 not out (94 balls, six fours) when the match eventually was halted by rain.

There was no play at all at the National Cricket Ground, also in Islamabad, where SNGPL were due to resume their second innings against State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) at 149-2. SNGPL gained three points to end the competition at the top with 57 points.

Scores and results on Thursday (final day of four):

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: Match drawn.

PORT QASIM AUTHORITY 675-6 declared in 171.4 overs (Umar Amin 281, Khalid Latif 128, Khurram Manzoor 74, Usman Tariq 64, Daniyal Ahsan 50; Imran Farhat 2-56); HABIB BANK LIMITED 198-2 in 34 overs (Imran Farhat 97, Shan Masood 58; Umar Amin 2-49).

At Marghazar Cricket Ground, Islamabad: Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited beat United Bank Limited by an innings and 256 runs.

ZARAI TARAQIATI BANK LIMITED 643-6 declared in 114.1 overs (Imran Nazir 185, Haris Sohail 152, Sharjeel Khan 143, Zohaib Khan 55 not out, Afaq Raheem 43, Babar Azam 35; Shabbir Ahmed 2-79, Atif Jabbar 2-160); UNITED BANK LIMITED 179 in 52.4 overs (Imran Ali 61, Ali Asad 33 not out; Zohaib Khan 3-29, Mohammad Khalil 3-35, Junaid Zia 2-41, Junaid Nadir 2-51) and 208 in 59 overs (Osama Shah 58, Kashif Bhatti 35, Ali Asad 31; Junaid Nadir 3-44, Zohaib Khan 3-51, Junaid Zia 3-53).

At National Cricket Ground, Islamabad: Match drawn – no play on day four because of rain.

SUI NORTHERN GAS PIPELINES LIMITED 310 in 98.5 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 136; Rizwan Haider 4-87, Mohammad Ali 4-99) and 149-2 in 36.5 overs (Umar Akmal 57 not out, Ali Waqas 44 not out, Azeem Ghumman 38); STATE BANK OF PAKISTAN 117 in 39.3 overs (Kashif Siddique 39; Bilawal Bhatti 4-32, Samiullah Khan Niazi 4-39, Imran Khalid 2-16).

At Mirpur Cricket Stadium, Mirpur: Match drawn.

WATER AND POWER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 240 in 65.5 overs (Saad Nasim 101 not out, Sohaib Maqsood 53; Anwar Ali 5-83, Janisar Khan 2-18, Aizaz Cheema 2-50) and 209 in 50.3 overs (Ali Azmat 46; Kamran Sajid 3-30, Maroof Aziz 2-37, Aizaz Cheema 2-53); PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES 94 in 37.3 overs (Faisal Iqbal 30; Zulfiqar Babar 5-17, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 3-20, Junaid Khan 2-25) and 291-5 in 84 overs (Faisal Iqbal 128 not out, Shoaib Khan 120; Junaid Khan 4-64).