KARACHI - Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) needed just 21.4 overs on the final day to claim their seventh Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division One. They took two just balls on the final morning to wrap up Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited's second-innings for 70 before their top order wasted no time chasing down the target of 107 in 21.2 overs for the loss of opener Kamran Sajid.
ZTBL had not added to their overnight score of 70 when Anwar Ali had Iftikhar Anjum caught to claim his eight wicket of the match.
PIA had almost two complete days at its disposal to get the winning target without taking risk. However their front ranking batsmen threw the caution to wind and instead of taking a cautious approach, they went after ZTBL bowling and scored 110 in mere 21.2 overs at an average of almost five runs an over.
Then, with Agha Sabir playing the anchor role, Sajid went after the ZTBL bowlers, smashing eight fours in his 34 that came off just 29 balls. He was dismissed by Sohail Tanvir but Sheharyar Ghani made sure there would be no respite for the bowlers, making 36 from 34 balls, with seven fours to take his side to victory in the company of Sabir, who made a comparatively patient 40 from 65 balls.
Summarised scores:
ZTBL first innings: 337 in 120.3 overs (Yasir Hameed 80, Haris Sohail 112, Anwar Ali 4-55, Kamran Sajid 2-56, Akhtar Waheed 2-113)
PIA first innings: 300 in 106.1 overs (Fahad Iqbal 61, Shoaib Khan 61, Sarfraz Ahmed 70, Sohail Tanvir 3-82, Rehan Riaz 3-44, Iftikhar Anjum 4-78)
ZTBL second innings: 70 in 27.2 overs (Yasir Hameed 19, Haris Sohail 19, Najaf Shah 3-19, Anwar Ali 4-31, Ali Imran Pasha 3-16)
PIA second innings: 110-1 in 21.2 overs (Agha Sabir 40*, Kamran Sajid 34, Shaharyar Ghani 36*)
Result: PIA won by nine wickets