Karachi Blues move closer to big win over Abbottabad

KARACHI: Karachi Blues were inches away from a huge victory against Abbottabad on the second day of their second round three-day Group B fixture of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Grade-II here at UBL Sports Complex on Sunday.

Having posted 335-7 in their first innings, Karachi Blues dismissed Abbottabad for only 164 and forced them to follow-on. In the second innings, at stumps, Abbottabad were gasping at 104-6, still needing 68 runs to avert an innings defeat.

In response to Karachi Blues’ 335-7, Abbottabad resumed their innings at 6-2 and were folded for 164. Adnan Raees scored 57. The left-handed experienced first-class cricketer struck two sixes and as many fours in his 113-ball knock. Dir-born Kamran Ghulam made 34 off 68 balls, striking three fours. Aitzaz Habib chipped in with an unbeaten 25 off 52 balls, hammering two fours. Mudassar Iqbal made 22 with four fours. Left-arm pacer Mir Hamza was the pick of the bowlers with 3-22. Rameez Aziz, Fawad Alam and left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar got two wickets each.

After the follow-on, too, Abbottabad batsmen failed to put up resistance against Karachi Blues bowlers, reeling at 104-6 in only 35 overs when the bails were drawn. Kamran Ghulam scored 36 off 57 balls, striking five fours. Imran Shah (23) and Adnan Raees (20) were the other main contributors. Sohaib Khan got 3-33. Left-arm spinner Hassan Khan captured 2-6.

In another Group B outing, here at NBP Sports Complex, Larkana secured 48 runs lead when after piling up 297-5 they dismissed Dera Murad Jamali for 249. They had resumed from their overnight score of 16-2.

Nasir Khan scored 51 which came off 75 balls, having eight fours. Najeebullah made 46 off 54 balls, striking five fours. Ahmer Aziz scored 40 off 151 balls, smashing five fours. Dawood Khan chipped in with 37 off 64 balls, hitting one four. Faraz Aziz, Mohammad Urs and Shah Nawaz Dahani got two wickets each.

Larkana were 40-2 in their second innings at close. Habibullah was batting on 23. Saleem Mal and Nasir Khan got one wicket each. In a Group B meeting at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, after dismissing Bahawalpur for 88 in their first innings, Faisalabad resumed their first innings at 108-3 and reached 215-8 in 64.5 overs at close as only 28.5 overs were bowled in the entire day due to bad weather.

Faisalabad have taken their lead to 127. Raees Ahmed was still at the crease on 50 in which he hit four fours and one six. Asad Ali was at the other end on 27. Misbah-ul-Haq fell for 21 which came off 27 balls and had three fours. Mohammad Umair was impressive with the leather, claiming 5-42. Ataullah clinched 2-27.

In another Group A clash, at Mirpur Stadium, Mirpur, in response to Hyderabad’s first innings score of 226, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) reached 172-2 after resuming their innings at 54 without loss. Only 40.4 overs were bowled due to overcast conditions. Usman Manzoor scored a sublime 67 off 137 balls, hitting 11 fours. Hasnain Shameer belted 54 off 139 balls, striking seven fours. Hasan Raza chipped in with unbeaten 25. Asad Malik got 1-19.