Central Punjab vs Sindh Archives

Northern, Balochistan seal first round victories in QEAT 2022-23

FAISALABAD: Northern’s Musa Khan and Mehran Mumtaz stormed through the Southern Punjab’s (SP) middle order on the final day to aid their side seal a comprehensive 10-wicket win in the first round of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT) 2022-23.

SP batter Imran Rafiq put up a strong resistance with a valiant 90-run knock amid a dismal show by the lower order as SP were bowled out on 265 in the second innings after the side was forced a follow by Northern on day 3.

Southern Punjab avoided the innings defeat with a narrow margin as they managed five more runs than their trail and forced Northern batters to come out on the crease for the second time in the match.

Musa and Mehran bagged three wickets to dismantle the Southern Punjab batting order while Kashif Ali took a wicket. Earlier Mubashir Khan got rid of Souther Punajb openers on day 3.

Meanwhile, Balochistan beat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) by 134 runs in another first-round match as Khurram Shehzad led the charge to bundle out KP in the second inning while chasing a 370-run target.

Shehzad picked three crucial wickets as he got rid of set batsman Kamran Ghulam (61) before getting rid of Adil Amin (9) and skipper Khalid Usman (22) to help his team seal a comprehensive win in their opening game.

Akif Javed and Bilawal Bhatti each picked two wickets and while Asad Shafiq and Hussain Talat took a scalp apiece.

Shaibzada Farhan, on the other hand, played a valiant knock of 63 off 67 and remained the top-scorer for KP.

Earlier, Balochistan declared their second innings on 187/5 and put KP to bat. Hussain Talat scored a brilliant half-century before Amad Butt made a quick unbeaten 26 off 16 to put Balochistan in a comfortable lead.

However, at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Central Punjab batter Tayyab Tahir starred on the final day as he smashed an unbeaten 152 runs against Sindh before the match ended in a draw.

For Sindh, Mir Hamza ran through the CP’s lower order and picked three wickets while Asif Mehmood returned the figures 4/59.

Sindh went through a dismal start in the second innings as opener Saim Ayub (5) and skipper Saud Shakeel (7) fell cheaply after they were put to bat by CP as they declared their second innings on 277/9.

Following an early collapse, opener Khurram Manzoor and Omair Younus built a 57-run partnership on the fourth wicket to avert any mishap in the game.

Sindh closed the final day’s play on 132/4 with Fawad Alam and Saad Khan going not out on 15 and 10, respectively.

READ: England win toss, opt to bowl first against Pakistan in sixth T20I

Nauman powers Northern to enforce first follow-on of QEAT 2022-23

FAISALABAD: Northern’s stand-in captain and left-arm spinner Nauman Ali decimated Southern Punjab’s (SP) batting line-up before enforcing the first follow-on of the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT) 2022-23.

In the first round fixture of the ongoing QEAT, SP found themselves in immense trouble as Northern after accumulating a mammoth 529, bundled out the side for a paltry 269.

SP’s opening batter Zain Abbas put up a fight with his magnificent 120, while the rest of the batters failed to make an impact as Nauman-led Northern bowling attack extended their domination.

Nauman led the way by claiming four wickets, while Musa Khan and Mehran Mumtaz bagged two each.

Northern captain Nauman then further added to the misery of SP by enforcing the first follow-on of the ongoing edition of QEAT as they trailed by 117 runs.

Coming out to bat again after the follow-on SP managed to conclude the third day at 143/2, while Usman Salahuddin (40) and Imran Rafiq (34) will resume the proceedings on the final day.

Mubasir Khan, who bolstered Northern to a massive total in the first inning by smashing 170, removed both SP openers – Umar Siddiq (35) and Zain (32).

At the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Fawad Alam stole the show with his 42nd first-class century, returning unbeaten on 127 and powered Sindh to put up a fighting total of 368 in reply to Central Punjab’s (CP) 428.

Wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed supported Fawad brilliantly amid their 169-run sixth-wicket stand as he smashed an important 78 runs off 196 deliveries, laced with eight boundaries.

CP then stretched their lead to 230 as they amassed 170/4 at stumps with their last inning double-centurion Abdullah Shafique (72*) at the crease, who had the company of Tayyab Tahir – unbeaten on 61.

In another first-round fixture, Balochistan gathered a dominating 289-run lead after bowling out Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for 291 despite a brilliant century from Kamran Ghulam, who smashed 102 off 171 balls.

KP captain Khalid Usman also put up a fight for his side with a gritty knock of 43.

Khurram Shahzad led the bowling attack for Balochistan as he claimed four wickets for 67, while Akif Javed and Kashif Bhatti bagged two each.

Balochistan then recovered from 68/4 to 107/4 to extend their dominance over KP as Hussain Talat (27) and Ali Waqas (12) held their ground firm.

READ: Waseem to face reigning champion Martinez for WBC flyweight title

Abdullah hits double ton before bowlers set CP on top against Sindh

RAWALPINDI: Abdullah Shafique provided a solid start to Central Punjab (CP) with a magnificent double century before bowlers helped the side restrict Sindh to 270/5 on the second day of their ongoing fixture in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT) at Pindi Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday.

Resuming at an overnight score of 358/6, CP extended their domination over Sindh as the side added a crucial 70 runs on the second day.

CP’s star with the bat on the opening day, Abdullah, who bolstered his side to a massive total with his unbeaten knock of 189, carried on his exceptional form on the second day and went on to smash a brilliant double century. He scored 232 off 262 deliveries, laced with 28 boundaries and four sixes.

Sindh bowlers, however, held their nerves calm to decimate the lower order and bowled out CP for 428. Abdullah top-scored for the side with 232, while Aamer Yamin scored an important 70.

In response to CP’s massive total, Sindh had a dismal start to their inning as the side lost three wickets at a paltry score of 94 with skipper Saud Shakeel falling for a mere two.

Sindh’s opening batter Saim Ayub held his ground firm amid his side’s poor start and anchored the inning with a gritty knock. The left-handed batter joined hands with Fawad Alam following the slump and added 40 runs before falling victim to Usama Mir. He scored 71 off 96 deliveries, laced with nine boundaries and a six.

Following Saim’s departure, Saad Khan charged on CP bowlers and scored a quick 30 amid his 50-run stand with Fawad. The left-handed batter, however, could not continue his heroics for long and fell prey to CP captain Qasim Akram, causing his side to slip to 184/5.

Sindh wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed then joined Fawad in the middle and put on a valiant unbeaten partnership that powered the side to a rather comfortable position. The duo added 86 runs for the sixth and Sindh, as a result, finished at 270/5 at the stumps.

The pair will now resume the proceedings for Sindh with the side trailing by 158 runs.

Aamer led the bowling attack for CP as he bagged two wickets, while Qasim, Usama Mir, and Mohammad Saad made one scalp each.

In another first-round match, Mubasir Khan followed Abdul Faseeh’s brilliance as he powered Northern to 529/5d against Southern Punjab (SP) with his magnificent knock of 170, while Sarmad Bhatti chipped in with a gritty 81 before the Northern captain opted to declare the inning.

Mubasir top-scored for his side with 170 off 236 balls with the help of 22 boundaries and a six. Whereas, Sarmad scored 81 off 206 deliveries.

For SP, Hassan Khan led the way with three wickets, while Ali Usman bagged two.

In response to Northern’s mammoth 529, SP finished at 128/2 on the conclusion of the second day despite a dismal start as their opener Zain Abbas fought hard with a valiant knock of 69* while Agha Salman scored a supportive 35.

The pair will now resume the proceedings for SP on the third day of their first-round match with a 401-run deficit.

In the first match of the tournament, however, Balochistan strengthened their domination over defending champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) as the side posted a massive 473 before restricting KP to 151/5.

Resuming at an overnight score of 324/5, Balochistan were off to a dismal start as they lost three wickets after adding 42 runs.

Following the early slump, Kashif Bhatti and Khurram Shahzad stood up for their team and put on an astounding 99-run partnership for the ninth wicket. Kashif scored 71 off 84, while Sarmad scored a valiant 47.

For KP, Arshad Iqbal bagged four wickets, while Mohammad Sarwar and Ihsanullah claimed two each. Khalid Usman, on the other hand, made one scalp.

In response to a mammoth 473, KP had a poor start as the side lost three quick wickets for a mere 34.

Kamran Ghulam and Adil Amin then added 67 runs for the fourth wicket and put on a fightback for the defending champions. The pair appeared solid and were looking to bolster them to a decent position before Kashif trapped the latter in his legs to break the important partnership. He scored 39 off 60 deliveries.

Sarwar’s stay at the crease remained brief he fell for a mere four after falling to Khurram and KP as a result, slipped to 108/5.

KP’s hero with the bat Kamran then joined hands with Rehan Afridi and put on an unbeaten 43 runs partnership that lasted till the conclusion of an eventful second day.

Kamran (64*) and Rehan (20*) will now resume the proceedings for KP at 151/5 with a 322 runs deficit.

For Balochistan, Khurram bagged two wickets, while Akif Javed, Hussain Talat, and Kashif made one scalp each.

READ: Rizwan fights out with 63 but England pacers bowl out Pakistan on 145

Sarfaraz’s 62* goes in vain as CP down Sindh in National T20 Cup

RAWALPINDI: Sindh wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed’s valiant knock of unbeaten 62 runs went in vain as Central Punjab’s (CP) Aamer Yamin held his nerves calm to defend 21 runs in the final over to bolster his side to a maiden victory in the ongoing National T20 Cup 2022.

Set to chase a commendable 189, Sindh fell 11 runs short in the end despite a blistering and gritty knock by wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz as he could not get any support from the rest of the batters.

Sindh were off to a flying start to their run chase as the right-handed young opener Saim Ayub took on the CP bowlers and scored at a rapid pace. His partner, Sharjeel, however, who was struggling to get going, perished in the fourth over after scoring a snail-paced nine.

Saim then joined hands with Omair Yousuf and added 30 runs for the second wicket before Shoaib Malik trapped him in his legs in the seventh over. He scored a quickfire 35 off 17 deliveries, laced with four boundaries and two sixes.

Sindh lost another wicket in the next over and were slipped to 65/3 as all-rounder Saad Khan perished cheaply for a mere one.

Sarfaraz then joined Omair at the crease and anchored the run chase with a 53-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The pair appeared solid and had brought their side back in the hunt before the latter fell in the 15th over after scoring 37 off 29 deliveries.

Following his departure, Sindh began to lose wickets at an alarming rate, while Sarfaraz held his ground firm and kept the scoreboard ticking single-handedly.

All-rounder Anwar Ali was the only batter who provided some support to Sarfaraz to pull off the match, while the rest of the batters could not enter the double-figures.

Sarfaraz remained unbeaten with his quickfire knock of 62 off just 37 deliveries, laced with five boundaries and two sixes.

Usama Mir shone with the ball for CP as he bagged three wickets, while Mohammad Ali claimed two. Shoaib, Qasim Akram, and Yamin, on the other hand, made one scalp each.

Batting first, CP managed to put on a decent 188/5 in the allotted 20 overs, thanks to the fifties from Faizan Khan and Shoaib.

Faizan top-scored for the side with a blistering 55 off a mere 24 deliveries including six boundaries and four sixes, while Shoaib followed back with 54 off just 33 deliveries with the help of four boundaries and two sixes.

Tayyab Tahir and Irfan Khan also contributed with 33 each and bolstered the side to finish at a decent total.

For Sindh, Abrar Ahmed and Sohail Khan led the way with two wickets each, while Saim struck out a batter.

READ: 175 foreign players available for PJL drafts against 24 overseas spots

Pakistan Cup: Balochistan, KPK, Sindh, CP secure semi-final berths

KARACHI: In the 28th match of the ongoing Pakistan Cup, Central Punjab edged past Sindh by 77 runs, thanks to the brilliant all-round performance by Zafar Gohar to book their spot in the semi-final, while Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and Balochistan have already qualified.

In the final-round match between CP and Sindh, the home side sealed a resounding 77-runs victory over the third-ranked Sindh at the back of Zafar’s heroics.

Batting first in a must-win game, CP get to a decent total of 261 in the 49th before losing all of their wickets. The right-handed opener Ahmed Shehzad and the all-rounder Zafar led the batting chart with respective fifties, while Umar Akmal also chipped in with a quick 37.

Zafar scored a gritty 51 off 62 balls with the help of four boundaries and two sixes, while Ahmed remained the top-scorer for the home side with 68 off 75 balls, laced with nine boundaries.

For Sindh, Muhammad Umar led the way with three wickets, while Abrar Ahmed followed back with two to his name. Sohail Khan, Mohammad Asghar, Danish Aziz, Saim Ayub, and Mohammad Taha, on the other hand, made one scalp each.

Set to chase 262 in 50 overs, Sindh’s skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed’s half-century went in vain as the side could only score 184 and bowled out in the 42nd over.

Sarfaraz remained the top-scorer for his side with a gritty 59 off 75 deliveries with the help of three boundaries and a six, while the middle-order batter followed back with 27.

The rest of their batters failed in the run chase and seven batters walked back after scoring in single digits.

For CP, Zafar, alongside Hussain Talat led the bowling chart with three wickets each, while Ali Asfand bagged two. The skipper Wahab Riaz made one scalp.

In the 29th match of the ongoing tournament, Southern Punjab (SP) thrashed bottom-ranked Northern by three wickets and 127 balls to spare, thanks to the belligerent hitting by Azam Khan in the run chase.

Set to chase 221, SP appeared to be in a rush to hunt down the total and beat CP’s run rate, however, despite reaching the total with 127 balls to spare, the team was unable to qualify for the knockout stage as CP thrashed Sindh in their match and secured the fourth position with 10 points. Whereas, remained in fifth with eight points.

Azam stole the show with his brilliant power hitting; scoring a quickfire 83 off 39 balls, laced with 11 boundaries and four sixes, while Sharoon Siraj and Muhammad Imran also chipped in with 48 and 40 respectively.

For Northern, Athar Mehmood and Mehran Mumtaz claimed two wickets each, while Salman Irshad and Shadab Majeed struck out a batter each.

Batting first, Northern could only manage to score 220/6 in the allotted 50 overs as some tight bowling from the SP did not allow their batters to score freely.

Northern’s middle-order batters Mubasir Khan and Mohammad Raza-ul-Mustafa scored half-centuries but remained a touch too slow as Mubasir faced 88 balls for his 59, while Raza faced 71 deliveries to score 56.

For SP, Hassan Khan, Ali Majid, Sharoon, Salman Ali Agha, Rahat Ali, and Zia-ul-Haq picked one wicket apiece.

READ: ‘We did not play with defensive approach’ Babar Azam on series defeat

Sindh beat Central Punjab in a thriller

KARACHI: Ali Shan’s century went in vain as Sindh beat Central Punjab by 11 runs in a nail-biting contest, in the ninth round of Quaid-e-Azam trophy (QEAT).

Sindh’s Abrar Ahmed, dismissed the centurion, Ali, when his side were needing 12 runs to seal the victory.

Chasing 307, Central, resuming their innings at 55/5, were off to a solid start. The left-handed batters, Rizwan Hussain and Faheem Ashraf, added a hard fought 57 runs before Faheem perished on 34.

Rizwan, then, partnered strongly with Ali, the pair added a valuable 60-runs into their team’s total, but, Rizwan perished; scoring 85 off 120 balls. The batter fell short to Mir Hamza’s bouncer; handing an easy catch to the keeper. Central, lost their seventh wicket for 172.

Ahmed Safi Abdullah, then, joined the party; hitting a quick 29, before falling victim to Abrar’s brilliant delivery.

Central’s batting tail, could not do much in their defenses and made little to none contribution, but, Shan, on the other hand, sailing the ball all over the ground and reached his valiant century.

Shan’s heroics pulled Central very much into the game, and the side only needed just 12 runs to seal a thrilling victory, but, Abrar, trapped Shan in legs to hand his side, a cherishing victory.

For Sindh, Sohail bagged four wickets, while Abrar picked three wickets.

With this victory, Sindh have consolidated their third position on the points table, while Central are at fourth. Northern, on the other hand, are leading the chart.

READ: Northern, KPK clinch round nine matches in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy