Karachi Blues tighten noose around Multan

KARACHI: Karachi Blues weaved a strong web around Multan on the second cloudy day of their four-day final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Grade-II at Pindi Stadium Rawalpindi on Friday.

After scoring 462-7 in their first innings, Karachi Blues reduced their rivals to 188-5.

Abdul Rehman Muzammil was the last hope for Multan who was at the crease on 71. The experienced batsman had struck ten fours in his mature 102-ball undefeated knock.

He was given ample support by Ali Hasnain (18*) as the duo lifted the score from 108-5 to 188-5 in 55 overs at stumps, scoring 86 valuable runs for the sixth wicket unbroken partnership. Wicketkeeper Hasnain smacked three fours from 48 deliveries.

Opener Imran Rafiq struck fine 57 before he was run out by Asad Shafiq. Imran clobbered ten fours from 105 balls.

Saeed Anwar Junior made 26 off 31 balls with four fours. Key players Kashif Naved and Shahzad Ali fell without opening their accounts.

Left-arm pacer Zohaib Shera got 2-72 in 14 overs. His victims included opener Zain Abbas (11). Pacers Mir Hamza (1-40) and Sohail Khan (1-50) also bowled accurately.

Multan need 133 runs to avoid following on. As many as 23 overs were wasted due to bad light.

The game was stopped around 2pm and then around 4:30pm bad light forced the umpires to end the day’s play.

A light drizzle had started in the federal capital on Friday evening, according to a resident of Islamabad. The third day’s play on Saturday (today) may be hit by rain.

Karachi Blues resumed their first innings at 374-6 and piled up 462-7 in the stipulated 83 overs. Sohail Khan scored a blistering 82 off 54 balls to take Karachi Blues to a dominant position.

Sohail, who was batting on 24 on Thursday, smashed six sixes and six fours.

He added 134 for the seventh wicket with stumper Saifullah Bangash, who slammed unbeaten 68 off 77 balls. Saifullah cracked five fours and two sixes from 77 deliveries. Left-arm pacer Majid Ali was the pick of the bowlers with 3-79 in 14 overs.