Sarmad hits ton as Northern gain huge lead over Sindh

KARACHI: Sarmad Bhatti hit a glorious century as Northern secured a huge 221-run lead against Sindh on the second day of their eighth round fixture of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2021-2022 here at the UBL Sports Complex on Tuesday.

Sarmad, who was batting on 53 on Monday, went on to hit 145 to enable Northern to score 319 all out after resuming their first innings at 136-2 in response to Sindh’s total of 98-9 declared.

Sarmad smacked 16 fours and two sixes in his solid 299-ball knock. This was his fifth first-class century. He added 140 for the third wicket partnership with his skipper Umar Amin who fell for 78 after adding nine runs to his overnight total.

Test pacer Tabish Khan got 5-55 in 23.1 overs while Sohail Khan claimed 3-61 in 25 overs. At stumps Sindh were 105-1 in 26.1 overs in their second innings with Khurram Manzoor batting on 33 and Omair Bin Yousuf on 19. Ahsan Ali was trapped lbw off paceman Zaid Alam after scoring 44 off 46 balls. He hammered eight fours.

At the SBP Sports Complex, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa gained a 115-run lead when they were folded for 281 in 89.2 overs after resuming their first innings with the overnight score of 45-2 in response to Southern Punjab’s 166-9 declared.

Arshad Iqbal, who is known for fast bowling, scored 62 off 102 balls. Arshad, who had come out as a night watchman on Monday, hammered nine fours in his first first-class fifty. He added 102 runs for the fourth wicket stand with Sahibzada Farhan who made 60 off 127 balls, striking six fours and one six.

Mehran Ibrahim made 33 while Adil Amin and stand-in skipper Asif Afridi made 33 each.

Pacer Mohammad Ilyas was the pick of the bowlers with 4-71 while Amir Yamin and Agha Salman got three wickets each.

Southern were 40 without loss in their second innings when bails were drawn with Uamr Siddiq batting on 29 and Tayyab Tahir on 11.

At the NBP Sports Complex, Balochistan were folded for 325 in their first innings after resuming with the overnight score of 283-5 against Central Punjab.

Kashif Bhatti, who was batting on 30, chipped in with 53 which came off 82 balls and had seven fours and one six.

Ayaz Tasawar fell for 45 after adding nine runs to his overnight score. Left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar claimed 5-126 in 39 overs. Bilawal Iqbal captured 2-68.

In response, Central Punjab were 178-5 at stumps in 69 overs with Saif Badar batting on 37 and Ali Shan on six.

Rizwan Hussain made 50 off 98 balls, striking seven fours, while Ali Zaryab made 48 off 82 balls, hammering eight fours.

Left-arm spinner Kashif Bhatti claimed 4-59 in 26 overs.