KARACHI - Brilliant bowling by Bilawal Bhatti (11 wickets) and twin fifties by Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq helped Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) successfully defend the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, after they registered six-wicket win against United Bank Limited (UBL) in the final played here at the Karachi Stadium.
Set a target of 160, thanks to Bilawal Bhatti's eight-wicket burst on Tuesday, SNGPL, who lost three early wickets, rode on a 110-run partnership between Misbah and Azhar Ali to complete the chase inside 53 overs. The pair batted together for majority of day five, with Azhar playing the more patient foil, stroking 56 off 124 balls, with seven fours. Azhar couldn't quite see the chase through, getting caught behind off Ehsan Adil, but Misbah stayed unbeaten on 60 off 96 balls, to go with his 85 in the first innings. It was his 89th first-class fifty, and fourth in three matches for SNGPL since returning from the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
Bhatti, who ended with match figures of 11-95, was named the man of the match. Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) seamer M Abbas finished as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 61 scalps from 10 matches, while Sui Southern Gas Corporation (SSGC)'s Asif Zakir topped the run charts, scoring 791 runs at an average of 56.50, with three tons and four half-centuries.
Last year, SNGPL had won the title by virtue of a first-innings lead against National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in the final.
UMAR AKMAL IN TROUBLE FOR MISBEHAVING WITH COACH: Pakistan's enigmatic batsman Umar Akmal has landed himself in trouble after misbehaving with his domestic team coach Basit Ali in the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy here at the National Stadium.
The sources aware of the incident said Umar misbehaved with Sui Northern Gas coach Basit and also used abusive language in the dressing room when he was demoted in the batting order on Tuesday. It was the third day of the five-day final being played under lights with a pink ball.
Basit, a former Test batsman, guided Sui Northern Gas to Quaid Trophy triumphs in the last two years. Sources said that Umar, who scored 44 in the first innings, was not happy when the coach sent in all-rounder Hussain Talat to bat at number three position.
The decision was purely a tactical one as wickets have tended to fall in the final session of play under lights with the pink ball darting around. "Umar asked Basit why he was being sent down the order and then misbehaved and abused him in the dressing room in front of other players and officials," a source said.
Only recently, Umar escaped a ban after a police report cleared him of attending a dance party in Hyderabad when he was playing a match there for SNGPL. Police had raided the private dance party and detained some people including Umar and other players. Later, police released the Pakistan player and said in its report that he was not at the party.
BRIEF SCORES:
SNGPL: 238 (Misbah 85, Akmal 44, Adil 4-39) and 160-4 (Misbah 60*, Azhar 56)
UBL: 208 (Sharjeel 73, Bhatti 3-39, Hafeez 3-45) and 189 (Younus 98, Bilawal 8-56).