Test discards hit form as Sindh sail into Pakistan Cup semis.

KARACHI -- While Sindh became the first side to confirm their semi-final qualification in the Pakistan Cup on Friday, a trio of Test discards made signification contributions to keep Southern Punjab and Balochistan in the hunt for next week's knockout round.

Sindh's win over Northern, their sixth victory in eight matches, was set up by Khurram Manzoor who recorded his 26th one-day century as the ex-Pakistan opener - adjudged man-of-the-match - hit 122 (off 138 balls, 15 fours and one six) while inspiring his team to 277-6 after Northern opted to bowl first at the NBP Sports Complex.

Northern, in reply, were dismissed for 264 on the final ball of the innings despite Hammad Azam scoring a 65-ball 70 (five sixes and four fours) and Haider Ali 55.

Sindh's star with the ball was Danish Aziz, who snared four wickets for 32 runs in nine overs with his slow left-armers.

Southern Punjab jumped to second in the standings on a better net run-rate after Mohammad Abbas and Shan Masood starred for them exactly a week after both were not considered for selection in the 20-man Pakistan squad for the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa due to their poor run of form.

Southern Punjab defeated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by five wickets at the UBL Sports Complex. Seamer Abbas excelled with 4-40 in 9.5 overs as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reached 244 after being put into bat by Shan.

Shan then top-scored in the chase as the opener struck 91 from 122 deliveries with the aid nine boundaries and together with fellow left-hander Khushdil Shah, who slammed run-a-ball 71 (six fours and two sixes), put on 102 for the fourth wicket before Southern Punjab got over the line in 48.2 overs. The man-of-the-match award was split between Shan and Abbas.

Haris Sohail was third Pakistan reject, also due to a wretched form with the bat, to redeem himself after losing his Test spot last week. The left-hander from Sialkot guided Balochistan to a critical four-wicket triumph over Central Punjab during the televised fixture at the SBP Sports Complex.

Central Punjab, who were invited to bat first by Haris, were curtailed to 296-7 in their 50 overs. The high point of their innings was a maiden List A ton from teenager Qasim Akram. The 18-year-old right-hander shot into prominence by contributing an...