Quaid e Azam Trophy 2011-12, Division One: Mid-Season Update – Part One
Habib Bank Limited (HBL) is one of the best teams in the domestic cricket of Pakistan and has won several events since last four decades. The bank has made a vital contribution in Pakistan cricket when it comes to producing cricketers of international standard.
HBL won the previous edition of the Quaid e Azam Trophy Division One last year. However, the teams participating in the current season look to be in much better shape and it is surely going to be a huge challenge for the bankers to defend their title successfully.
The fifth round of the premier first-class tournament in Pakistan ended on the 2nd of November, 2011 and now there is a break because of the Eid holidays in the country. All the teams have played five matches so far and the competition is evenly
poised at the moment between the top five teams.
Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) is currently leading the points table with 33 points. They have won four matches and lost one. WAPDA looks to be in great shape at the moment to challenge the rest of the teams under the able leadership of Rana
Naved ul http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hasan-c61990. The discarded all-rounder has led the team from the front and has been performing exceptionally well with both bat and ball.
State Bank of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-International-Airlines-c831 (PIA), who have 24 points. Whereas, the defending champions,
HBL are at the fifth spot with 21 points after the first five matches.
However, HBL is still confident that it will regain form after the Eid Holidays and will bounce back at the top of the points table. They have been hampered by the absence of some of their premier players like http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taufeeq-Umar-c92889, Umar
Gul and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758.
Out of favour opening batsman of the Pakistan cricket team, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ahmed-Shehzad-c42359, who is an integral part of HBL’s team, claimed that the team is in good form and they are geared up to defend their title.
Shehzad said, “I’m really pleased with the start that Habib Bank and I have made this season in the Quaid E Azam Trophy. We are the defending champions and we are determined to make a very good fist of retaining the trophy.”
The right handed batsman from Lahore admitted that the team was a little rusty at the start of the season but they have bounced back in style and now they are pretty much on their way to give a tough time to all the other teams.
“We didn’t start too well, we were a bit rusty and weren’t at our best but the last couple of matches we have found our form and done very well as a team. We have a great bunch of guys at HBL and it is a pleasure playing alongside these boys,” Shehzad added.
One of the positive things for Pakistan cricket in the current season has been the fact that the top performers of the previous domestic season look to be in good form this time round as well. Such consistency has never been associated with Pakistan cricket
in past but it is heartening to see this kind of a professionalism penetrating in Pakistan cricket.
To be continued …
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