Sialkot register second win in Hanif Trophy

LAHORE: Sialkot defeated AJK by four wickets on the last day of fourth round match of the Hanif Mohammad Trophy 2023-2024 at Muzaffarabad Cricket Ground. While at both Mirpur Cricket Stadium and Sheikh Khalil Stadium in Rahim Yar Khan, definitive results could not be produced hence, Islamabad and Quetta as well as Bahawalpur and Hyderabad ended the fourth round with draws.

At Muzaffarabad Cricket Ground, AJK resumed their innings at 151 for six against Sialkot. Raja Farhan Khan (39) was the highest scorer before the side was scraped to 203. Mohammad Waleed, was the pick of the bowlers for Sialkot with six wickets.

On the back of an unbeaten half-century by Ayaz Tasawwur (58) and a 41-run inning from Salman Khan, Sialkot chased the 175-run target on the final day, losing six wickets.

AJK's Naveed Malik’s did managed five wickets, but his effort went in vain. At Mirpur Cricket Stadium, Quetta began at 99 for five after struggling with the bat towards the end of Day three against Islamabad.

They could only manage 143 before being bowled out. Mohammad Junaid (33) was the highest scorer. Islamabad's Haris Hassan’s five-wicket-haul was the highlight of the innings. Meanwhile, Islamabad could not steady themselves on the crease. Highest-scorer Faizan Riaz, scored an unbeaten 39 from 81 balls as the side got to 128 runs in 58 overs, losing five wickets as time ran out and match was drawn. At Sheikh Khalia Sports Complex Rahim Yar Khan, Hyderabad were 404 for five when final day against Bahalwarpur began.

Daniyal Hussain Rajput, who had scored 80 runs the previous day, added 30 more to take Hyderabad to 496 before getting run out.

Daniyal's knock of 110, was the inning's second after Mohammad Suleman’s 143. Mohammad Umair and Mohammad Junaid took got four and three wickets each for Bahawalpur.

Bahawalpur added 127 runs without any loss, with both the openers Ali Imran (65) and Aun Shahzad (61) scoring half-centuries.