KARACHI, Jan 31: Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Rawalpindi completed the semifinal line-up in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Cricket Championship after rain badly disrupted play in their respective matches.

The fourth and final day of the quarterfinal between KRL and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) was abandoned without a ball being bowled after rains in the wee hours of Friday’s morning had left the pitch square inundated.

In fact, strong winds had blown off the tarpaulins from the entire area. As a result, pools of water were visible around the match pitch, which incredibly remained dry.

Umpires Islam Khan and Athar Zaidi together with match referee Ilyas Khan supervised the operation to make the area playable. But the desperate efforts of the diligent NSK groundstaff was of no avail and the match was officially abandoned as a draw at 4.00pm.

KRL qualified by virtue of their slender 16-run lead on the first innings. They meet Faisalabad, who beat Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) inside three days on Thursday, in the semifinal here at National Stadium from Feb 3.

Rawalpindi, meanwhile, went through by a sheer stroke of luck at Arbab Niaz Stadium. Sargodha had batted themselves into a strong position by amassing 365 for three on day one and a bit. But then rain in Peshawar spoilt the show, allowing further play only after lunch on the final day.

According to playing conditions, Rawalpindi were required to bat for a minimum of 35 overs to decide the qualifiers. Rawalpindi, who actually needed 122 to qualify, reached 170 for four in 38 overs thanks to an unbroken partnership of 104 between Shiraz Khalid (69 off 102 balls with seven fours and two sixes) and Junaid Zia (45 off 60 balls with nine fours).

Meanwhile, PCB’s Cricket Management Committee, taking into consideration the uncertain weather conditions in Punjab and NWFP, decided on Friday to shift the second semifinal, now to be played on Feb 6-9, from Peshawar to UBL Sports Complex and the Feb 17-21 final, originally planned for Gaddafi Stadium, to National Stadium.

Our Sports Reporter adds from Rawalpindi: PIA went through to the semifinals on a better run rate after the last day of their quarterfinal against Wapda was washed out.

Water seeped through the Rawalpindi Stadium covers after Thursday’s heavy rains that had also prevented play on the third day.

The Airliners had a better run rate of 3.710 as against Wapda’s 2.816 by virtue of which they advanced to a semifinal with Rawalpindi.

Scoreboard

SARGODHA (1st Innings) 365-3 declared (Mohammad Hafeez 106, Majid Saeed 105 not out, Atiq Ahmed 83).

RAWALPINDI (1st Innings):

Babar Naeem lbw b Hayat 29

Saqib Naqeeb lbw b Sami 16

Pervez Aziz c and b Hayat 2

Shiraz Khalid not out 69

Nauman Aman c Shahid b Hayat 1

Junaid Zia not out 45

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-3, W-1, NB-3) 8

TOTAL (for four wkts, 38 overs) 170

FALL OF WKTS: 1-22, 2-23, 3-58, 4-66.

DID NOT BAT: Asad Khan, Nadeem Abbasi, Jawwad Hameed, Mohammad Akram, Mohammad Fayyaz.

BOWLING: Ahmed Hayat 10-0-35-3 (2nb, 1w); Mohammad Sarfraz 6-1-26-0; Samiullah Niazi 9-0-39-1; Jibran Khan 7-1-35-0 (1nb); Mohammad Hafeez 4-0-19-0; Usman Arshad 1-0-4-0; Atiq Ahmed 1-0-8-0.

RESULT: Match drawn. Rawalpindi qualify for semifinal on better run rate.

UMPIRES: Iftikhar Malik and Iqbal Butt.

MATCH REFEREE: Farrukh Zaman.

Summarised of other quarterfinals:

At National Stadium, Karachi (no play on final day):

Match drawn, KRL qualify on first innings lead.

KRL 267 (Mohammad Ramzan 110 not out; Shabbir Ahmed 5-93) and 169-4 (Misbah-ul-Haq 70 not out, Saeed bin Nasir 44; Zahid Saeed 3-39)

NATIONAL BANK 251 (Naumanullah 67, Kamran Akmal 49; Yasir Arafat 5-74)

*At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi (no play on last two days):

Match drawn. PIA qualify on better run rate

WAPDA 307 (Atiq-ur-Rehman 67, Hasan Adnan 61; Asif Mujtaba 4-74;

PIA 144-2 (Yasir Hameed 49 not out).

Semifinals

Feb 3-7: KRL v Faisalabad at National Stadium, Karachi.

Feb 6-9: PIA v Rawalpindi at UBL Sports Complex, Karachi.