Lahore Blues thump Quetta for second win

LAHORE: Lahore Blues registered their second win of the tournament as they beat Quetta by eight wickets on the fourth day of their third-round Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match at the Saeed Sports City Bedian, Lahore.

Quetta managed to add 30 runs to their overnight total of 92-8 as they were bundled out for 122, setting a 74-run target for Lahore Blues after a delayed start to the day’s proceedings due to bad light.Lahore Blues took only 44 balls to reach the target with Hammad Butt (38 not out, 19b, 4x4s, 2x6s) and Qasim Akram (23 not out, 15b, 2x4s, 1x6) stitching an unbeaten 46-run stand for third wicket.

At Multan Cricket Stadium, only 9.1 overs of play was possible due to bad light as Karachi Blues were all out for 259 from the overnight score of 251-8 with FATA’s Asif Afridi grabbing four wickets. FATA scored 18-1 in five overs before the match was called off as a draw.

Sialkot and DM Jamali also shook hands for a draw at the Rana Naved ul Hasan Cricket Academy in Sheikhupura as only 23 overs of play was possible in which DM Jamali stretched their overnight score from 25-3 to 107-7.

The fourth round matches will begin on 13 November with the Group C fixtures shifted to Haripur, Mirpur and Swabi from Lahore, Multan and Sheikhupura, respectively.

Scores in brief (Day 4 of 4):

Lahore Blues beat Quetta by eight wickets at Saeed Sports City Bedian, Lahore, Pool C

Quetta 101 all out, 45.4 overs (Shahbaz Khan 57; Nisar Ahmad 5-25, Mohammad Abbas 3-36) and 122 all out, 54.1 overs (Nadeem Ahmed 46 not out, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai 24; Mohammad Abbas 4-51, Nisar Ahmed 3-44, Hunain Shah 2-10)

Lahore Blues 150 all out, 59.4 overs (Qasim Akram 42, Junaid Ali 27; Gohar Faiz 4-49, Jalat Khan 3-32, Mohammad Idrees 2-21) and 76-2, 7.2 overs (Hammad Butt 38 not out, Qasim Akram 23 not out; Gohar Faiz 2-34)

Match Drawn - Karachi Blues vs FATA, Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan, Pool C

Karachi Blues 259 all out, 94.2 overs (Abdullah Fazal 129, Kashif Ali 31, Fawad Alam 25; Asif Afridi 4-32, Arshadullah 2-42, Sirajuddin 2-74)

FATA 18-1, 5 overs (Mohammad Farooq 12 not out)

Match Drawn - Sialkot vs DM Jamali at Rana Naved ul Hasan Cricket Academy, Sheikhupura, Pool C

Sialkot 451 all out, 100.1 overs (Ashir Mehmood 172, Azan Awais 130, Mohammad Waleed 46 not out, Afzal Manzoor 26, Abdul Rehman 21; Danish Aziz 5-98)

DM Jamali 107-7, 34 overs (Mohammad Shahid 30 not out, Taimur Ali 22; Awais Ali 3-43, Salman Aslam 2-19, 2-24)

On Friday - Faisalabad beat Hyderabad by an innings and eight runs at Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad, Pool A

On Saturday - Abbottabad beat Larkana by ten wickets (Pool A); Lahore Whites beat Islamabad by five wickets (Pool A); Peshawar beat AJK by nine wickets (Pool B); Rawalpindi beat Karachi Whites by nine wickets (Pool B); Bahawalpur beat Multan by 78 runs (Pool B).