Southern Punjab stage comeback against KP

KARACHI: Abdul Rehman Muzammil and Rameez Alam slammed unbeaten centuries to enable Southern Punjab to engineer a strong fightback against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday here at the NBP Sports Complex.

On the third day of their second round fixture of the Cricket Associations Championship, Southern Punjab, after being forced to follow-on, resumed their second innings at the overnight score of 35-1 and reached 320-3 by the end of the day's play.

Muzammil and Rameez shared an unbeaten 243-run partnership for the fourth wicket to bring their side back in the game.

Abdul Rehman returned undefeated with a marvellous effort of 117 which came off 288 balls. He struck 15 sweetly-timed fours and one six. Rameez smacked 18 fours in his unbeaten 116 which came off 209 deliveries.

Southern Punjab ended the third day with a 30-run lead with seven wickets yet in hand.

Here at the KCCA Stadium, Central Punjab, while chasing 285, were reeling at 155-6 in 57 overs in their second innings against Balochistan when bails were drawn. Irfan Khan scored 54 while Imran Dogar contributed 41. Captain Saif Badar, batting at number three, was playing on 37.

Raza-ul-Hasan bagged 3-52 in 24 overs.

After resuming their second innings at 125-3, Balochistan were folded for 224 in the 93rd over. Nasir Khan scored 57. Central Punjab’s Ahmed Safi Abdullah and Bilal Asif bagged four wickets each.

Here at the UBL Sports Complex, chasing a target of 418, Sindh were 136-2 in 32 overs against Northern at close. Opener Danish Aziz made an unbeaten 89 off 95 balls, smashing 12 fours.

Earlier, Northern declared their innings at 362-5 in 78 overs after resuming it at 105-1. Opener Ziad Khan made a 218-ball 120, striking 15 fours and one six. Aqib Shah belted unbeaten 60 off 68 balls, striking nine fours.