WAPDA clinched their maiden QEA Trophy title beating HBL

Water and Power Development Authority have clinched their maiden Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title, Pakistan’s premier first-class tournament, beating Habib Bank Limited in the final played under lights at National Stadium, Karachi. The former Pakistan captain Salman Butt who was banned for five years due to his involvement in the spot-fixing scandal was captaining the side that won the title.

The winning team also featured Mohammad Asif, another member of the spot-fixing trio, former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and seven-foot talisman Mohammad Irfan. WAPDA won the toss on Day 1 and invited HBL to bat first which worked very well for them as they reduced HBL for 21/6 at one stage before Rameez Aziz (90), Fahim Ashraf (44) and left-arm spin bowler and HBL captain Abdur Rehman (53) rescued their side to a respectable total of 236 all out.

WAPDA in return were once 162/0 thanks to a well-deserved century from skipper Salman Butt and a fifty from his opening partner Adnan Raess before they were bundled out for 278. WAPDA led HBL by 42 runs at the end of their first innings which proved to be fruitful in the end.

Habib Bank posted a mammoth total of 485/1 in their 2nd innings with openers Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman making 200 and 170 respectively. They produced a first wicket stand of 303 runs – a first-wicket record for the department team. Ahmed Shehzad helped with his 104 runs to put a total of 444 runs for WAPDA to chase in 130-135 overs.

WAPDA were sluggish in their run-chase as they totaled only 198 runs for the loss of three wickets in the 111 overs they batted. Salman Butt hit yet another century, his 2nd innings of the match and first time in his FC career that he hit dual 100s in a match. The game ended in a draw but according to the tournament rules, WAPDA were awarded the trophy because of their first innings lead. Mohammad Asif ended the final with four wickets.

This final loss was Habib Bank’s sixth in eight Quaid-e-Azam Trophy finals. The two-time champion department won its last silverware in 2010/11 season under Hasan Raza while WAPDA qualifying for the final first time, won it in a single attempt.

Salman Butt was awarded the ‘Player of the Final Award’ for scoring dual 100s and leading his side successfully.

Kamran Akmal (WAPDA) grabbed the ‘Best Batsman of the Tournament Award’ scoring a record 1035 runs during the tournament at an average of nearly 80 with five hundreds and three half-centuries.

Mohammad Abbass (KRL) won the ‘Best Bowler of the Tournament Award’ for his 71 wickets in the tournament including eight five-fers and three 10-wicket match hauls.

Mohammad Hassan (Karachi Whites) was awarded the ‘Best Wicket-Keeper of the Tournament Award’ for his 42 dismissals.