KARACHI: Zone IV raised their hopes of winning the tournament title, when they defeated Zone II by an innings and 20 runs on the final day of their three-day, sixth-round 2008-09 National Inter-District Senior Karachi Region Cricket Championship match, here at the TMC Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

In their only innings of the encounter Zone IV, representing the city’s Malir-Shah Faisal areas, ran up a total of 420 for six in the allotted 83 overs. Zone II (Federal B Area-New Karachi) were restricted to modest scores of 149 and 251 in their two innings.

With 36 points from their five matches, of which they have won four and lost one, Zone IV need also to win their last round game that gets under way from Friday (tomorrow). They require to get ahead of table leaders and defending champions Zone VI (North Nazimabad-Orangi), whose tally from five matches is 39.

Zone VI too have their final fixture set to start from tomorrow. They are now in a must-win situation to retain their lead and win the competition for the thid season running.

Yesterday, Zone II skipper Naved Khan followed his first innings 80 with a resolute century, his 108 runs coming off 215 balls with eight fours. But his team lost their remaining three wickets for the addition of just 19 runs to be bowled out for 251 and succumb to an innings defeat.

Zone IV skipper Aariz Kamal, whose elder brother Asim Kamal, the Pakistan discard, was one of the three centurions for their team earlier, finished with four wickets for 34 runs in 11.2 overs bowling his off-spinners.

Top bowler Azam Hussain, the 22-year-old slow left-armer, with eight wickets in the match had already taken his tournament total to 51 in five matches.

Scores: Zone II 149 in 45.3 overs (Naved Khan 80; Sufyan Ahsan 3-29, Azam Hussain 3-46, Rashid Hanif 4-38) and 251 in 71.2 overs (Naved Khan 108, Shahid Aslam 37; Azam Hussain 5-137, Aariz Kamal 4-34). Zone IV 420-6 in 83 overs (Waqas Ausaf 116, Asim Kamal 105, Mohammad Waqas 107*, Umar Khan 30).

Zone IV now have their seventh and final round match coming up against Zone III (Old Karachi), here at the Pak Star Ground Malir from tomorrow. On the same three days, Zone II will encounter Zone I (Liaquatabad-Gulshan) at the TMC Cricket Ground.