JEDDAH, 25 July 2003 — Mohsin Mirza’a superb unbeaten 105 enabled Traco to thrash favorites Saudia Milk by 7 wickets and enter their maiden finals of the Fuchs League while Mahmood Saeed comfortably defeated UMA by 7 wickets in the other semifinals.
Saudia Milk openers Syed Amer and Owais got them off to a brisk start putting on 106 runs for the 1st wicket. Amer hit 11 fours and 2 sixes and reached 70 runs off 37 balls, while Owais scored 62 runs with 5 fours. Zulfiqar then joined Amer and the two put on 64 runs for the 2nd wicket before Amer was out. Zulfiqar scored 63 runs with 7 hits to the fence. The Milkmen collapsed from 204 for 2 to 219 for 6 but Shaker chipped in with 27 of 17 balls to enable Saudia Milk tally 277. Tariq, Iftekhar, Azeem and Shakeel took 2 wickets each.
In reply, Traco openers also got them off to a quick start putting on 95 runs in 11.4 overs before Tariq was out for 43 runs with 6 hits to the fence. Hamid Rana played a captain’s innings with a blistering 53 before he was run out. At 116 for 3, the match was evenly poised. Mohsin then batted superbly to lift his side to win. Azeem gave him stupendous support. Mohsin started his innings with singles but then opened up to finish with 14 fours. He hit 7 fours in his last 33 runs to remain unbeaten on 105. Azeem was unbeaten on 57 with 5 fours as Traco qualified for their maiden finals, reaching the target in 32 overs. UMA put on an imposing score of 290 for 8 in their 35 overs. Despite losing an early wicket, Khalid Butt and Kaiser waded into the fearsome Mahmood Saeed attack. Khalid was very ruthless hitting 6 fours and 2 sixes in his enterprising knock of 75 runs before departing at 129. Kaiser continued the good work hitting a stylish 90. Later Zahid (23) and Ashfaque (20) enabled UMA reach 290 for 8. Shahid picked up 4 for 48 and Amjad had 2 for 50. In reply. Mahmood Saeed lost Maqbool early but Irfan (35 with 5 fours and a six), Kashif (66) and Wajahat (90 — 4 fours and 3 sixes) turned the tide. Skipper Tariq remained unbeaten on 67, with 6 fours and a six, as his team hit reached the target in 33 overs.
