Israr, Ashfaq blast centuries as Peshawar inch closer to semis

KARACHI: Israrullah and Ashfaq Ahmed blasted fine centuries to put holders Peshawar closer to semi-finals when they overwhelmed Rawalpindi by eight wickets in their fifth round outing of the National One-day Cup for Regions at the Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar, on Friday.

Left-handed Israr scored 150 and Ashfaq struck unbeaten 102 to enable Peshawar to chase the 303-run target with 15 balls to spare after losing two wickets.Israr, whose’ List A career best is 155, smacked 14 fours and five sixes in his 125-ball heroic knock.

Ashfaq hammered ten fours and two sixes in his quick-fire 89-ball unfinished feat. The duo put on 179 for the second wicket. This was the fifth List A century for the 28-year-old Israr, who has played in Pakistan A team. Israr, earlier, provided a 101-run opening stand to Peshawar with Sahibzada Farhan, who hit 66-ball 40 which had four fours and one six.

Left-arm pacer Saad Altaf and Ataullah got one wicket each.After being invited to bat first on a batting track, Test opener Azhar Ali blasted 104 off 111 balls to push Rawalpindi to a decent 302-7 in the stipulated 50 overs.

The former Pakistan captain shared 171 for the second wicket with international left-hander Umar Amin, who chipped in with a solid 88-ball 81 which featured six fours and two sixes.Azhar smacked nine fours and one six in his 16th List A hundred. Test cricketer Iftikhar Ahmed contributed 36-ball 38 with six fours. Left-arm pacer Taj Wali got 4-43.

The fourth win took Peshawar to the summit with eight points with two games in hand.Rawalpindi trail at the third spot with six points. At the KRL Ground, Rawalpindi, Lahore Blues whipped Karachi Whites by 77 runs, their third win that took them to the second place with six points.

After being invited to bat, Mohammad Saad (72) and Umar Akmal (64) scored 110 for the third wicket to help Lahore Blues post 288-8. Saad smashed four fours from 106 balls. Umar smacked ten fours and one six in his rapid 45-ball knock.

Test opener Sami Aslam (38) and Salman Ali Agha (36) also made useful contributions. Left-arm spinner Danish Aziz got 3-54. Left-arm medium pacer Zia-ul-Haq captured 2-66.Karachi Whites were folded for only 211 in the 44th over. Akbar-ur-Rehman (97) was the only batsman who played a defiant knock as wickets kept falling at regular intervals.

Akbar struck 12 fours in his 104-ball fine effort. Danish Aziz made a-run-a-ball 38 with one four and three sixes. Left-arm spinner Qaiser Ashraf was the pick of the bowlers with 4-34. Spinner Khalid Usman (3-62) and pacer Bilawal Iqbal (3-33) also bowled well.This was the second loss for Karachi who trail at the fourth place with six points.Islamabad recorded their second win when they outclassed FATA by nine wickets at Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad.

Abid Ali (96*) and Test opener Shan Masood (90) put on 142 for the opening stand to enable Islamabad to achieve the 225-run target in the 36th over.Abid hit 14 fours in his 113-ball responsible knock. Left-handed Shan smacked 16 fours in his quick-fire 66-ball innings.

Abid then shared 86 for the second wicket unbroken stand with Faizan Riaz, who blasted 40-ball 35 not out which featured four fours and one six. Leg-spinner Mohammad Irfan got 1-51.Earlier, spinners Reza Hasan (4-27) and Nouman Ali (2-44) shared six wickets to help Islamabad dismiss FATA for 224. Left-handed batsman Khushdil Shah (53), international opener Fakhar Zaman (46) and Mohammad Naeem (45) did well with the bat.

Khushdil hit seven fours in his 53-ball fifty. Fakhar struck three fours and one six from 59 balls. The left-hander added 49 for the second wicket with Naeem, who hit six fours in his 50-ball knock.

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