Ahsan helps Sindh score decent total

ISLAMABAD: Zain Abbas and Ahsan Ali hit centuries while Sajid Khan and Suleman Shafqat took seven and five wicket hauls respectively on the first day of the fifth round of the three-day non-first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament matches on Tuesday.

At NBP Sports Complex in Karachi, Sindh were bowled out for 355 runs in 78.2 overs in their first innings against Central Punjab. Opener Ahsan Ali top scored with a 123-ball 119-run innings that included 18 fours and one six. Ahsan added 191 runs for the first wicket with Ammad Alam, who scored 80 runs off 162 balls with the help of nine fours and one six.

Muhammad Waqas made 44 runs, Suleman Shafqat took five wickets to restrict the Sindh team to 355-run total despite the big opening stand. Central Punjab were 20 for one at the close of play.

Fifteen wickets fell on the opening day of the match between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan at Peshawar’s Hayatabad Sports Complex.

Balochistan who opted to bat first after winning the toss were bowled out for 176 runs in 67.2 overs. Shehzad Tareen scored 53 and Awais Zia made 32. Sajid Khan took seven wickets for 51 runs while Khalid Usman took two wickets.

In reply, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had reached 81 for five in 21 overs at close of play. Rehan Afridi was batting on 29. Gohar Faiz took three while Haseeb Azam claimed two wickets.

Southern Punjab posted 306 runs in their first innings, courtesy to 126 from Zain Abbas at the Muzaffarabad Stadium.

Agha Salman scored 77 runs as Southern Punjab were bowled out in 79 overs after being asked to bat first. Shahzad Azam and Salman Irshad took four wickets each. Northern were six for one in reply when stumps were drawn for the day.

Scores in brief: At NBP Stadium, Karachi: Sindh 355 all out, 78.2 overs (Ahsan Ali 119, Ammad Alam 80; Suleman Shafqat 5-64, Raza Hasan 3-68) v Central Punjab 20-1, 9 overs (Abdullah Shafiq 12; Muhammad Sami 1-4).

At Hayatabad Sports Complex, Peshawar: Balochistan 176, 67.2 overs (Shehzad Tareen 53, Awais Zia 32; Sajid Khan 7-51) v Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 81 for 5, 21 overs (Rehan Afridi 29 not out; Gohar Faiz 3-26).

At Muzaffarabad Stadium, Muzaffarabad: Southern Punjab 306, 79 overs (Zain Abbas 126, Agha Salman 77; Salman Irshad 4-53, Shahzad Azam 4-54) v Northern 6 for 1, 3 overs.