Khilji and Ali Azmat put WAPDA in control

Group A

An unbeaten 219-run partnership between Bilal Khilji and Ali Azmat took Water and Power Development Authority from a precarious position to one of complete dominance on day two in Islamabad. The medium-pacer Azharullah added a fifth wicket in the morning to keep Pakistan Customs from adding to their overnight 120 for 8, but WAPDA suffered a similar wobble at the hands of Zeeshan Nadir. Matters weren't looking too pretty at 93 for 5, but Khilji, the captain, and Azmat turned it around in splendid manner. Khilji went on to his 12th first-class century while Azmat collected 87. At stumps WAPDA led by 192 runs.

Fazal Subhan's 107, Afsar Nawaz's unbeaten 106 and Babar Rehman's 68 not out carried Karachi Whites to a very formidable 433 for 6 on day two against National Bank of Pakistan cheaply on the second day in Karachi. Crucially, they gained the first-innings lead. From 98 for 2 on resumption, the score was helped along nicely by Mohtashim Ali (63) and Subhan. Once the pair was dismissed, Nawaz and Babar Rehman kept up the pressure on NBP.

Yasir Ali, the new-ball bowler, snared a five-wicket haul to help dismiss Sui Southern Gas Corporation for 137, after which Khan Research Laboratories eked out a 47-run lead by the close in Rawalpindi. Yasir cut Saeed Bin Nasir off shortly after he reached his half-century and there was little to come from the lower order. Saeed Anwar jnr (47) and Azhar Ali (75*) then put on a century opening stand to maintain KRL's control over proceedings.

Rain didn't play spoilsport like it did on day one at the Jinnah Stadium, and matters remained somewhat even by the close on the second day. From 65 for 3, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines made 233 against a disciplined Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited bowling attack. There was only one half-century, from Yasir Shah at No. 8, but that total looked stronger by stumps after Asid Ali left ZTBL at 38 for 2.

A six-wicket haul by seamer Anwar Ali shut out Lahore Shalimar for 177 before Pakistan International Airlines came within touching distance of securing a first-innings lead at the Gaddafi Stadium. Resuming on 124 for 4, Lahore failed to push on as they lost their last six wickets for 53 runs. Anwar took 6 for 62 while Jamshed Ahmed took 3 for 18. PIA began steadily but after losing two wickets in quick succession with the score on 63, they were helped by a 94-run stand for the fourth wicket between Shoaib Khan snr and Kamran Sajid.

Abbottabad's new-ball bowlers, Junaid Khan and Armaghan Elahi, took 5 for 98 and 4 for 72 respectively to bowl out Rawalpindi for 201 on the second day in Islamabad. Rawalpindi were struggling overnight, on 69 for 5, and their lower-order batsmen scrapped hard to make small but useful contributions. Jamal Anwar top scored with 35. Abbottabad made a poor start to their first innings, losing two wickets with only nine runs on the board, after which Waqar Orakzai and Mohammad Kashif steered the score to 44 at stumps.

Bilawal Bhatti's five-wicket haul helped Sialkot secure a 283-run first-innings lead against Hyderabad on the second day at the Niaz Stadium. Bhatti claimed 5 for 63 while Prince and Nayyar Abbas took two each to skittle Hyderabad for 178. Opener Sharjeel Khan was the innings' top-scorer with 44. Earlier Bhatti had hit a run-a-ball 70 to lift Sialkot from 357 for 5 to 461. Opening bowler Mir Ali took 4 for 104 for Hyderabad.

Karachi Blues were utterly dominant on the second day at the National Stadium and took control of their match against Quetta. First, their last two wickets added 52 between them to extend their first-innings total to 309. Tanvir Ahmed and Khalid Mahmood then took four and three wickets each to help dismiss Quetta for 139 in 31.4 overs, giving Karachi Blues a lead of 170. Quetta didn't help themselves either and made Karachi's task easier with two run outs. Karachi ended the day on 64 for 1, with an overall lead of 234.

Mohammad Irshad claimed 5 for 50 to help Lahore Ravi dismiss Peshawar for 236 in their first innings in Lahore. Peshawar had begun the day on 160 for 5 and overnight batsman Sajjad Ahmed went on to score an unbeaten century. Irshad, however, blew away batsmen at the other end, dismissing the last four for single-digit scores. Lahore Ravi opener Kashif Siddiq scored a fifty in their first innings but the rest of the batsmen struggled. Azam Khan and Nasir ahmed took two wickets each to reduce Lahore to 124 for 5 at stumps.

Zulfiqar Babar took all five Islamabad wickets to fall on the second day as Multan reduced their opponents to 229 for 5 at stumps at the Multan Cricket Ground. Islamabad's openers added 86 for the first wicket after which Umair Khan had another 69-run stand with Ali Sarfraz for the second. It was then that Babar caused a middle-order wobble, taking three wickets in the space of seven runs. Ashar Zaidi scored an unbeaten half-century to steady Islamabad's innings. Earlier, Multan had extended their overnight score of 308 for 7 to 352 before they were dismissed. The captain Naved Yasin top scored with 131.