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Friday March 29, 2024

QUAID-E-AZAM TROPHY: Batsmen dominate as all matches end in draw

By Our Correspondent
September 18, 2019

ISLAMABAD: The first round results in the refurbished Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class and back up teams’ matches has indicated batsmen’s dominance as all the six (three first-class and three second grade) fixtures ended in a draw at different venues of the country.

The use of Australian made Kookaburra balls has made batting easier as pacers found it difficult to run through the batting line-up twice in all the three first class matches.

In Pakistani conditions the Kookaburra ball gets softer even after 20 overs. Batsmen took full advantage of the condition and as many as nine batsmen scored centuries in three Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches of the first round. Two of them Abid Ali (249 not out) and Sami Aslam (243 not out) scored high unbeaten double hundreds.

Apart from the two, Muhammad Rizwan (176), Imamul Haq (152), Asif Ali (114), Adnan Akmal (113), Ashfaq Ahmed (106), Khurram Manzoor (105) and Mohammad Nawaz (100 not out) also reached triple figures for their respective teams.

At the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, a rearguard action saw Asif Ali and Mohammad Nawaz cracking centuries to earn a draw for Northern against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Northern reached 433-6 in 114 overs at the end of fourth day’s play and thus avoiding defeat after being forced to follow on. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amassed 526-9 declared with Northern getting bowled out for 262 in the first innings.

Asif, a hard-hitting batsman who has represented Pakistan in white-ball cricket, scored 114 — his second century at this level. The right-hander’s 133-ball aggressive knock was punctuated with 18 fours and 3 sixes, and came in 172 minutes.

The left-handed Nawaz also played a stroke-filled innings, hammering 15 fours and 2 sixes to be unbeaten on exactly 100 that came off 126 deliveries. This was his fifth century in first-class cricket.

Asif and Nawaz put on 118 runs for the fifth-wicket. Asif also shared an 86-run stand for the fourth wicket with Umar Amin, another left-handed batsman.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bowlers toiled all day without much success. Left-arm spinner Zohaib Khan finished with figures of 2-80. Irfan Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed and Adil Amin took one wicket each.

The fixture between Sindh and Balochistan also ended in a draw at the UBL Complex Ground in Karachi.

Replying to Sindh’s 473-5 declared, Balochistan finished at 355-9 after resuming the day at 191-3. In 75 overs on the final day, the visitors added 164 runs for the loss of six wickets to their overnight score.

Opener Imam-ul-Haq, who started at 111, became one of the three victims of his Test team-mate Asad Shafiq after scoring 152. He faced 352 deliveries during his 514 minutes of stay at the crease and hit 18 fours.

At the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore, the match between Central Punjab and Southern Punjab also ended in a draw.

Southern Punjab were 107 for one in their second innings with Sami Aslam and Umar Siddiq batting on 50 and 18, respectively, when the two captains shook hands.

Scores in brief: At Abbottabad Stadium: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 526-9 declared, 136.4 overs (Muhammad Rizwan 176, Ashfaq Ahmed 106, Adil Amin 73, Iftikhar Ahmed 35, Fakhar Zaman 33, Sahibzada Farhan 29; Shadab Khan 4-151). Northern 262 all-out, 90.3 overs (Haider Ali 99, Imad Wasim 33, Afaq Raheem 25, Umar Amin 20; Zohaib Khan 3-21, Junaid Khan 3-40, Irfan Khan 2-69) and after follow-on 433-6, 114 overs (Asif Ali 114, Mohammad Nawaz 100 not out, Umar Amin 80, Rohail Nazir 46, Sohail Tanvir 29 not out; Zohaib Khan 2-80). Result: Match drawn. Points: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 13, Northern 10.

At UBL Complex Ground Karachi: Sindh 473-5 decl in 169.5 overs (Abid Ali 249 not out, Khurram Manzoor 105, Sarfaraz Ahmed 44 not out, Asad Shafiq 37; Yasir Shah 3-127). Balochistan 355-9 in 173 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 152, Khurram Shahzad 44 not out, Bismillah Khan 26, Haris Sohail 24, Yasir Shah 22, Azeem Ghumman 21; Asad Shafiq 3-85, Kashif Bhatti 3-115). Result: Match drawn. Points: Sindh 9 Balochistan 7 (bonus points are awarded to the sides based on their positions at the end of 110 overs of their first innings).

At Gaddafi Stadium Lahore: Southern Punjab 467 all-out in 134 overs (Sami Aslam 243 not out, Adnan Akmal 113, Aamer Yamin 64; Waqas Maqsood 4-83, Hasan Ali 3-100, Bilal Asif 2-116) and 107-1 (Sami Aslam 50, Shan Masood 32). Central Punjab 473 all-out, 150.1 overs (Umar Akmal 89, Azhar Ali 73, Mohammad Saad 70, Ahmed Shehzad 63, Faheem Ashraf 56; Mohammad Irfan 4-120, Rahat Ali 3-72, Aamer Yamin 2-68). Result - Match drawn. Points: Central Punjab 11, Southern Punjab 11.