da fazobetai： Saqlain Mushtaq picked up a wicket and scooped up four excellentcatches as PIA beat Karachi Whites by six wickets in the National Oneday Cricket Championship at National Stadium Thursday
15-Mar-2002Saqlain Mushtaq picked up a wicket and scooped up four excellentcatches as PIA beat Karachi Whites by six wickets in the National Oneday Cricket Championship at National Stadium Thursday.The home team, batting first, posted a decent 219 for seven in 50overs. PIA, the former champions, hardly raised a sweat when theyreached the victory target in 38 overs. But the irony was none of theselectors was present at the ground to see Saqlain put up aperformance that was a slap on the face of the people who had droppedhim from the Asian Test Championship final.Wasim Bari, chairman of selectors, came late in the afternoon afterall the action was complete. Mohsin Khan, one of the paid selectors,continued to remain a missing figure as he has been since the start ofthe season.The selectors’ decision not to watch proceedings involving PIA seemsstrange as there are at least four players on whom either there arefitness or form doubts and can walk into the national team anytime.Saqlain was tight and economical as ever conceding 45 runs off his 10overs. But the catches off Fahadullah and Farhan Iqbal, the latter offhis won bowling, reflected how seriously he was taking his cricket andthe improvement he has made in his fielding.Saqlain held a running catch while diving forward at mid-off to endthe innings of Fahadullah and then took a acrobatic catch off his ownbowling to terminate the knock of Farhan Iqbal.Saqlain was not the only PIA player to dominate the show. Wasim Akrambowled his heart out on a placid track and under testing conditionswhile Azhar Mahmood bowled nicely to concede 32 runs off his nineovers.Abdul Razzaq was belted for 59 runs from his nine overs while ShoaibMalik’s 18 deliveries cost him 23 runs. Karachi’s innings wasdominated by two half centuries and a 49 by opener Maisam Hasnain whohit four boundaries in his 81-ball innings. Zeeshan Pervez scored 53but took 102 balls while Mohammad Masroor hit a rapid 46-ball 53 withsix boundaries.PIA, in their target chase, was set an ideal platform when openersGhulam Ali and Faisal Iqbal added 115 for the first wicket. Thepartnership ended when Faisal was out after scoring a 43-ball 38 withfive boundaries. But Ghulam Ali remained punishing, clobbering 10boundaries in his 79-ball 67. Yasir Hameed chipped in with 35 whileskipper Moin Khan finished the match in style by slamming fourboundaries in his nine-ball 19.