Haris Sohail smashed a superb century to give ZTBL an upper hand on day two of their five-day Quaid-e-Azam Cricket Trophy Division-I day/night final against PIA at National Stadium here on Wednesday.
Replying to ZTBL first innings total of 337, PIA recovered to reach 119 for the loss of four wickets. Fahad Iqbal was battling on 49 and his 90-ball knock in 135 minutes was studded with eight powerful boundaries. Shoaib Khan was batting on 12 and he with Fahad Khan lifted airlines from a precarious position of 76-4 with a valuable 43 runs unbroken fifth wicket stand.
PIA are still 225 runs behind ZTBL total and technical 19 runs away to avert the follow-on with six wickets in hand. PIA started poorly losing opener Agha Sabir for a 7-ball duck, skipper Kamran Sajid (13) and inform Faisal Iqbal (13) also went cheaply and Sheharyar Ghani for 29 mainly because of double strike by test discarded paceman Rao Iftikhar Anjum, who finished the day with two wickets for 24 runs in ten overs.
Sheharyar Ghani compiled a steady 29 in 148 minutes with four boundaries before leg before Rao Iftikhar.
Earlier, 22-year-old Haris made 112 his fourth century of the event and his sixth overall as ZTBL were dismissed for 337 in their first innings after resuming at 287-6. Former wicketkeeper batsman Zulfiqar Haider, who fell for 37 added 103 runs in 263 minutes for the 7th wicket which pushed ZTBL to healthy total on a lively track. Haris batted for marathon just over six hours and his 282-ball innings was spiced with 15 superb boundaries and one six.
Like young Haris, young paceman Anwar Ali was successful bowler for PIA snapping-up four wickets for 55 runs in 29.3 overs.
