Quaid-e-Azam Trophy: Sindh put Northern in trouble

ISLAMABAD: Sindh made early inroads into Northern’s first innings, leaving the home side struggling at 86-3 on the opening day of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first class match at the KRL Ground in Rawalpindi.

Only 40 overs were possible on Saturday because of wet conditions after the visitors opted to bowl first.

Northern lost Afaq Rahim (19), Haider Ali (26) and Umar Amin (17). Rohail Nazir (17 not out) and southpaw Ali Sarfraz (3 not out) were at the crease when the stumps were drawn for the day.

Pacer Tabish Khan (1-21) and left-arm spinner Kashif Bhatti (1-13) were the wicket-takers.

In Abbottabad, openers Sahibzada Farhan and Israrullah hit their maiden half-centuries of the 2019-20 season as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reached 126 for no loss on a shortened opening day against Southern Punjab at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Farhan was batting on 63 and Israrullah was 52 not out after early morning showers and wet field had delayed the start of the match by 150 minutes before late afternoon rain brought an early closure, meaning only 32.5 overs of play was possible.

This was after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had won the toss and elected to make first use of the wicket.

Farhan, who scored 29 in the opener against Northern and then managed three in his only innings against Sindh, has faced 104 balls and hit 11 exquisite fours.

Israrullah, who missed the opener but played against Sindh and scored two, has received 99 deliveries off which seven have been converted into fours.

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Abbas was in action and ended with figures of 8-1-21-0. Another Test fast bowler, Bilawal Bhatti, had figures of 6-0-35-0.

In Quetta, solid centuries by Central Punjab’s openers had the visitors on 338-5 against Balochistan when stumps were called on day one at the Bugti Stadium. Azhar Ali’s 165-ball 123, studded with 20 fours, was his second century on the trot as the Central Punjab captain had scored 155 in his side’s mammoth win by an innings and 100 runs against Northern at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

The day, however, belonged to Salman Butt, who was unbeaten on 152. The opener had received 285 balls of which 24 were dispatched for fours. The two stitched an opening stand of 237 runs as Central Punjab, after opting for a toss, were put into bat.

Once Azhar was back in the pavilion, Central Punjab lost three wickets 17 runs.

Kamran Akmal’s 28-ball 24, which included three fours and a six, put a halt on the collapse. Leg-spinner Yasir Shah led the Balochistan’s bowling as he bowled 32 overs and picked up the crucial wickets of Azhar and Usman Salahuddin. Umar Gul, Khurram Shehzad and Ammad Butt picked up a wicket each.

All-rounder Zafar Gohar (11) was batting alongside Salman when stumps were drawn.

Scores in brief: At KRL Stadium: Northern 86-3 in 40 overs (Haider Ali 26, Afaq Rahim 19, Rohail Nazir 17 not out, Umar Amin 17; Kashif Bhatti 1-13, Tabish Khan 1-21).

At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium: Khyber Pakht­unkhwa 126-0 in 32.5 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 63 not out, Israrullah 52 not out).

At Bugti Stadium, Quetta: Central Punjab 338-5 in 86 overs (Salman Butt 152 not out, Azhar Ali 123, Kamran Akmal 24; Yasir Shah 2-103).