Kamran, Adil, Israr rescue Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after early hiccups

KARACHI: Kamran Ghulam, Adil Amin and Israrullah hit solid fifties to guide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to 285-7 in their first innings on the opening day of their five-day final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (first-class) against Central Punjab here at National Stadium on Friday.

Kamran (76), Adil (75) and Israrullah (61) did a remarkable job on a tricky track to enable KP to reach a reasonable total in 89.2 overs at stumps.

KP had lost three wickets for 95 in the 22nd over. However, Adil and Kamran applied themselves and added 133 for the fourth wicket to pave the way for a big total.

Left-arm spinner Ahmad Safi Abdullah provided the breakthrough to holders Central Punjab when he had Kamran held excellently by Ali Shan behind the stumps. The ball was pitched on the off-stump, kept slightly low, Kamran wanted to cut it but only managed to edge it to the stumper who took a low catch.

The 25-year-old Kamran smashed 15 fours in his 129-ball 76. He stayed at the wicket for 207 minutes for his fifth fifty of the season and 11th of his first-class career in his 31st game. He stayed for 207 minutes at the crease.

Kamran, who brought in his fifty off 99 balls, stretched his run-tally in the season to 1141 at the summit.

Adil also failed to convert his fine innings into a hundred when he was bowled by Hasan Ali with a splendid delivery after the new ball had been taken. Adil, who brought in his sixth fifty of the season off 116 balls, hammered ten fours in his 202-ball knock which lasted 249 minutes.

Adil, who hit his 21st first class fifty in his 79th game, took his total in the season to 830. He added 39 runs for the fifth wicket with Zohaib Khan, who was batting on 29 when bails were drawn.

KP were 256-5 when Adil departed during the last hour.

Bilawal Iqbal then had skipper Khalid Usman (3) trapped lbw before Hasan Ali got rid of Sajid Khan (6) off the second ball of the last over of the day. It was a short-pitched delivery, Sajid went for an upper-cut, miscued it and the ball went to the slips with Qasim Akram taking an easy catch after covering a few yards behind the slip cordon.

Earlier, KP’s skipper Khalid Usman won the toss and elected to bat first on a track which offered bounce and seam. In the first hour, it was not easy to bat with Central Punjab’s pace battery looking very dangerous.

Left-arm pacer Waqas Maqsood provided an early breakthrough when he got rid of Fakhar Zaman (17), who edged him to stumper Ali Shan. Fakhar smacked two fours from 35 balls.

In his next over, Waqas bowled wicket-keeper batsman Rehan Afridi (3) to reduce KP to 43-2 in the 13th over.

Israrullah added 52 runs for the third wicket with Kamran Ghulam to stabilise the innings.

Off-spinner Qasim got the wicket of well-set Israrullah, caught by keeper Ali Shan to leave KP struggling at 95-3.

Israr, who was dropped in the slips in beginning of his innings, smashed ten fours from 69 balls. Israr’s fifty came off 58 balls.

Waqas (2-49 in 17) and Hasan (2-57 in 19.2) bowled with great accuracy. Bilawal Iqbal, Qasim and Ahmad Safi claimed one wicket each.

Asif Yaqoob and Rashid Riaz are supervising the match, while Ali Naqvi is the match referee. Ahsan Raza is the third umpire.