Tag: Northern vs Balochistan

ABBOTTABAD: Northern outclassed Balochistan by 10 wickets in the round three fixture of the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2022-23, while Sindh versus Southern Punjab (SP) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) versus Central Punjab (CP) matches ended in draws. 

Balochistan, resuming at 136/5, requiring a further 168 to make Northern bat, saw their batter Hussain Talat putting on a remarkable fight as he smashed an unbeaten century and powered his side to add 200 runs before bundling out for 336.

Set to chase a mere 33, Northern took just 43 balls to seal a comprehensive 10-wicket victory and carried on their domination in the standings.

The last four Balochistan wickets accumulated 107 runs, with Hussain dominating the scoring.

The left-handed batter struck an unbeaten 115 from 178 balls with 15 fours and two sixes. He also put on 93 runs for the sixth wicket with Khurram Shahzad (59 from 89 balls with 11 fours).

Northern’s Mubasir Khan bettered his 3/18 with 3/50 for a match haul of six wickets for 68 runs.

At the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Sindh held SP for a draw courtesy of an unbeaten century from Omair Bin Yousuf, while young Saim Ayub missed his maiden century by five runs in tense second innings.

Sindh resuming their 381 run chase at 57/0, managed to finish the final day at 326/7. Omair’s 110 came off 192 balls and contained 15 fours, while Saim’s 138-ball 95 included 12 fours and two sixes.

For SP, Mohammad Abbas bagged three wickets, while Ahmed Bashir returned with 2/53.

The third-round fixture between defending champions KP and CP at Iqbal Stadium also ended in a draw as the persistent rain and wet outfield halted one-and-a-half day’s play.

Following no action on the third day, CP resumed their first innings at 173/4 in response to KP’s 220 and could only add 101 runs before bundling out for 274.

Khalid Usman and Test spinner Sajid Khan rattled the CP batting attack as they bagged six and four wickets respectively.

Starting their second innings with a 54-run deficit, KP were 174/3 at the conclusion of the final day despite a dismal start.

Sahibzada Farhan, who scored an unbeaten century, put on a 142-run partnership with Rehan Afridi (54*) and made sure to protect his side from any stutter.

Farhan’s undefeated hundred came off 121 balls and included 13 fours and a six.

READ: Sillas’ late strike in vain as China beat Mexico in FIFA U-17 Women’s WC 

RAWALPINDI: Southern Punjab’s (SP) batter Zain Abbas scored his seventh career century but Sindh’s spinner Abrar Ahmed bagged his second 10-wicket haul as the third-round fixture of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy between the two sides entered into an exciting phase.

Zain, resuming his overnight score of 48, carried on his domination over the Sindh bowlers as he amassed his century to power his side to a respectable total.

The left-handed batter scored 138 as SP accumulated 283 in the second innings after they already had a 97-run first innings lead.

Zain faced 195 deliveries amid his brilliant knock and smashed 13 boundaries and two sixes.

Abrar, on the other hand, followed up his first innings figures of 37.3-10-94-5 with 31.5-3-100-6 for match figures of 11/194.

Set to chase 381, Sindh finished at 57/0 at the stumps. Saim Ayyub (43*) and Khurram Manzoor (14*) will now resume the run chase for their side on the final day.

Meanwhile at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium in Abbottabad, Northern are on the cusp of a resounding victory over Balochistan as the latter finished the penultimate day at 136/5 in their second innings after Northern captain Nauman Ali enforced the follow-on.

Earlier in the day, Balochistan resumed their first innings at 108/4 in reply to Northern’s 520/8.

Balochistan then skittled out for 216 with only with Hussain Talat (48) and Yasir Shah (31) notable scorers.

Mubasir Khan led the bowling attack with 3/18, while Athar Mehmood, Kashif Ali and Aamir Jamal evenly shared two wickets each.

Ali Waqas (41) and Imran Butt (38) had provided Balochistan with a 59-run start before slipping to 104/3 and then lost two more wickets at the score of 136. They need further 168 runs to avoid an inning defeat.

The wet outfield at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, following persistent rain on Monday halted the action between Central Punjab (CP) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on a penultimate day.

READ: Fritz breaks American ATP top 10 drought

ABBOTTABAD: Right-handed batter Faizan Riaz scored an unbeaten double-century to put Northern in a commanding position in the third-round fixture of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT) against Balochistan.

Resuming his overnight century with Northern at 347/3, Faizan continued his domination over Balochistan bowlers and converted into a magnificent double century.

Faizan’s brilliant knock during which he faced 216 balls and hit 27 fours and a six, lifted Northerns to declare at 520/8.

Balochistan found themselves in trouble as they were tottering at the end of the second day at 108/4 with Haris Sohail (26) and Hussain Hussain (9) at the crease.

Captain Asad Shafiq put on a great fight as he scored 53 before becoming one of the two victims of Kashif Ali (2/35).

On the second day, majorly dominated by Northern, Balochistan had something to cheer as their bowler Taj Wali completed the 19th five-wicket haul of his career.

In another second-round fixture, Southern Punjab (SP) pacer Mohammad Ilyas decimated the Sindh’s batting lineup for a paltry 181 In response to the SP’s first innings total of 278.

The right-arm pacer finished with figures of 15-5-50-5, while Ahmed Bashir claimed three and Mohammad Abbas two to further add to the opposition’s misery.

Earlier, Sindh’s mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed finished with astonishing figures of 37.3-10-94-5, bagging his third five-wicket haul.

Sindh’s Muhammad Umar (59), Saad Khan (36) and Fawad Alam (32) put on a fight against a berserk bowling trio of SP.

SP now lead Sindh by 174 runs with seven second innings wickets intact as they finished 77/3 at the conclusion of the second day.

Meanwhile at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, an early afternoon rain halted a majority of the action of the second-round fixture between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Central Punjab (CP).

CP resumed their first innings at 24/0 in response to KP’s 220 and were 173/4 when rain forced an early closure to the day’s play.

Abid Ali top-scored with 66, while Abdullah Shafique scored 51.

KP’s Khalid Usman remained the top pick among their bowlers as he finished with figures of 3/52.

READ: Ronaldo nets 700th club goal of his career 

KARACHI: Northern’s Muhammad Huraira hit his first triple-century in First-class cricket before Mubasir Khan’s six-fer completed their crushing victory over Balochistan by an innings and 170 runs in the final round of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT).

Northern, resuming at an overnight score of 449/2, carried their momentum; adding another 91-run to the total before the skipper, Umer Amin departed after scoring a brilliant half-century. Amin scored 51 off 73 balls; including seven boundaries.

Northern’s previous day hero, Huraira, too, kept scoring runs, and, eventually, became the second-youngest Pakistani batter to score a triple century in FC cricket. He scored 311 off 343 deliveries, laced with 40 boundaries and four sixes.

With small contributions from down the order, the Northern posted a massive 621-runs total on the board; taking a huge lead of 316 runs against Balochistan.

Trailing by 316, Balochistan, started their second inning and struggled throughout the innings, none of their batters could go deep; resulting in Balochistan, bowling out for a skimpy 146; losing the match by an inning and 170 runs.

For Northern, Mubasir Khan took six wickets for just 43 runs, while Musa Khan claimed two. Ather Mahmood, on the other hand, bagged one wicket.

With this victory, the Northern have qualified for the final of the QEAT, while Balochistan remained at the bottom.

At NBP Sports Complex, Sindh is currently leading by 219-runs against Southern Punjab in the second innings; as the side scored 294/7 before stumps were called on day three.

Southern, resuming at an overnight score of 333/6, could only add 52 runs for the loss of their last four wickets, Ali Usman, batted valiantly; scoring an unbeaten 34, while the rest of his partners made little to no contribution with the bat. Southern, in the end, bundled out for 385.

For Sindh, Shahnawaz Dahani bagged three wickets, while Muhammad Asghar and Zahid Mehmood, each claimed two wickets. Whereas, Asad Shafique struck out a batter.

In response, Sindh had an average start to their second inning; losing their first wicket for just 23 runs, as Ahsan Ali departed after scoring 11. However, Khurram Manzoor, along with Saud Shakil, tried to anchor the innings; with the pair adding an 80-runs partnership before Manzoor was dismissed after scoring 59.

Saad Khan then joined Shakil, the pair appeared solid, and also had a decent partnership of 40-runs, but, Shakil fell short, after scoring 63, he faced 113 deliveries, and smashed seven boundaries. Saad, on the other hand, remained not-out for 63, will now resume the innings at 294/7 on the final day, alongside Zahid.

For Southern, Ali claimed three wickets, while Muhammad Ilyas, Salman Ali Agha, and Muhammad Junaid each shared one wicket apiece.

In another final round match, Central Punjab, chasing 495, against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), are looking solid as their opening pair added 123-runs without losing any wicket.

Earlier, KPK resumed at an overnight score of 89/0 in their second innings, could only add 10 runs for the loss of their first wicket, as Sahibzada Farhan, departed after scoring 45. The side ran into a brief collapse, slipping from 99/0 to 135/4, the top-scorer for the side in the second inning, Fakhar Zaman, too, departed; scoring 62.

Iftikhar Ahmed and Adil Amin, however, scored the fifties and kept the side out of any trouble. Iftikhar scored 61, while Adil scored 54. Both the batters remained unbeaten as KPK declared the innings at 249/4.

For Central, Bilawal Iqbal took three wickets, while Zafar Gohar claimed one.

Abid Ali (49*) and Rizwan Hussain (66*) will now resume the run-chase on the final day of the final round.

READ: Huraira’s double-ton outshines Masood’s 190 as Northern on top of Balochistan