da betcris： Defending champions Pakistan Customs face KRL in a crucialeighth round encounter of the Patron’s Trophy Grade-INational Cricket Championship from Friday at Niaz Stadium inHyderabad
Khalid H. Khan02-Nov-2001Defending champions Pakistan Customs face KRL in a crucialeighth round encounter of the Patron’s Trophy Grade-INational Cricket Championship from Friday at Niaz Stadium inHyderabad.After two successive draws against PWD and PIA on the docilestrip at UBL Sports Complex despite forcing both theirrivals to follow-on, Customs must win against KRL withmaximum points to keep alive their slim hopes of retainingthe title.National Bank, six points clear of second-placed Customs,meanwhile, are praying for better weather in Sheikhupura fortheir clash against a resurgent WAPDA side. Last season’srunners-up had to settle for just three points against HabibBank in a match which saw more than 175 overs being lost tobad light.WAPDA, in third spot, scored a miraculous six-run victoryover winless Sui Gas in the previous round to put themselvesin contention for first major honours.Even if the Sheikhupura tie fails to produce an outrightresult in National Bank’s favour, the bankers have probablythe easiest final round fixture – against minnows Sui Gas inFaisalabad. – that could see them become champions.ADBP, in fourth spot, meet PIA on a result-oriented pitch atNational Stadium. This could be an interesting tusslebetween two evenly-matched sides on paper. Team winning thetoss will definitely opt to field first.ADBP go into this encounter with psychological advantage ofa two-day win over PWD based on young opener Inam-ul-Haq’sflawless maiden first-class century.PIA, on the other hand, were fortunate to escape defeatagainst an injury-hit Customs bowling attack. However, theform of young Faisal Iqbal was a huge plus point for theformer champions.Seven-time champions Habib Bank have an ideal opportunity tomove up the ladder against the luckless Sui Gas, who havelost all but one of their seven fixtures so far. They meetat Pindi Cricket Stadium.The draw is the most likely result in the Allied Bank-PWDtie at UBL Sports Complex.Eighth round schedule (Nov 2-5):Allied Bank v PWD at UBL Sports Complex, Karachi (Umpires:Afzaal Ahmed and Masroor Ali. Match referee: Sajid Abbasi).PIA v ADBP at National Stadium, Karachi (Umpires: Mian Aslamand Sadiq Mohammad. Match referee: Ghafoor Butt).Pakistan Customs v KRL at Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad (Umpires:Shakeel Khan and Feroz Butt. Match referee: Naeem Ahmed).National Bank v WAPDA at Sheikhupura Stadium (Umpires: Z.I.Pasha and Iqbal Butt. Match referee: Ehteshamuddin).Habib Bank v Sui Gas at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi(Umpires: Iftikhar Malik and Aleem Dar. Match referee:Musaddeq Rasool).