KARACHI: Rawalpindi were threshold of winning their first major domestic title after Islamabad slumped to 99-5 in their second innings on the penultimate day of the five-day Faysal Bank Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship final in Lahore on Wednesday.

Chasing a daunting target of 435, Islamabad suffered a huge blow in the very first over when Afaq Raheem was caught behind by Talha Qureshi off left-arm seamer Nasir Malik for a second-ball duck.

Afaq, who was the top-scorer in the first innings with 85 until becoming a victim of rough umpiring decision, was the cornerstone on which Islamabad had firmly pinned their hopes on.

Haseeb Azam got rid of Ali Sarfraz for six to put Rawalpindi in complete control. Although Zeeshan Ali (28 off 67 balls, four boundaries), Faizan Riaz — who made 23 off 45 with four boundaries before chopping a Nasir delivery onto his stumps — and captain Imad Wasim (29 not out, 43 balls, five fours) all got themselves in, Islamabad struggled all the way as Nasir and Akhtar Ayub shared four of the five wickets to fall thus far.

Mercifully play was called off 10 overs early because of fading light as the Islamabad camp heaved a sigh of relief while it awaits last day’s action on Thursday during which the remaining 336 runs certainly won’t be playing in their minds as they bid to prevent Rawalpindi taking the remaining wickets quickly.

Earlier, opener Shoaib Nasir continued from where he had left off on Tuesday as Rawalpindi added 117 to their tally of 281-4 before being all out for 398 in the second innings.

Beginning the day on a career-best 143, the 30-year-old Shoaib wasn’t dismissed until he had reached 177 when Mudassar Ali found a way past his bat to bowl him after a marathon sojourn at the crease of seven hours and 16 minutes during Shoaib faced 296 balls and struck 27 fours and a brace of sixes.

Zahid Mansoor (31 off 63 balls, five fours) and wicket-keeper Talha Qureshi (36 off 67, six boundaries) then rubbed more salt into Islamabad’s wounds by sharing an enterprising partnership worth 72 for the eighth wicket.

RAWALPINDI (1st Innings) 211 (Awais Zia 76, Zahid Mahmood 60, Naved Malik 33; Junaid Nadir 4-49, Mudassar Ali 4-67, Shehzad Azam Rana 2-8).

ISLAMABAD (1st Innings) 175 (Afaq Raheem 85; Nasir Malik 4-68, Akhtar Ayub 3-55, 2-41).

RAWALPINDI (2nd Innings, overnight

264-):

Shoaib Nasir b Mudassar 177

Adnan Mahmood lbw b Junaid 0

Haseeb Azam c Kashif b Mudassar 11

Naved Malik c Afaq b Shehzad 13

Babar Naeem c Kashif b Sarmad 75

Awais Zia lbw b Junaid 22

Muzammil Nizam lbw b Mudassar 4

Zahid Mansoor lbw b Junaid 31

Talha Qureshi lbw b Imad 36

Akhtar Ayub c Zeeshan b Imad 9

Nasir Malik not out 1

EXTRAS (B-11, LB-3, W-4, NB-1) 19

TOTAL (all out, 122.3 overs) 398

FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-64, 3-82, 4-241,

5-285, 6-314, 7-315, 8-387, 9-397.

BOWLING: Junaid Nadir 35-8-111-3 (2w); Mudassar Ali 29-12-48-3 (1nb); Shehzad Azam Rana 24-5-75-1 (1w); Imad Wasim 19.3-1-70-2; Afaq Raheem 5-1-28-0 (1w); Sarmad Bhatti 6-2-28-1; Moed Ahmed 4-0-24-0.

ISLAMABAD (2nd Innings):

Afaq Raheem c Talha b Nasir 0

Zeeshan Ali c Talha b Akhtar 28

Ali Sarfraz c Awais b Haseeb 6

Faizan Riaz b Nasir 23

Imad Wasim not out 29

Moed Ahmed c Talha b Akhtar 10

Shehzad Azam Rana not out 2

EXTRAS (NB-1) 1

TOTAL (for five wkts, 32 overs) 99

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-12, 3-52, 4-66, 5-78.

BOWLING (to-date): Nasir Malik 13-3-39-2 (1nb); Haseeb Azam 8-3-23-1; Akhtar Ayub 9-2-35-2; Babar Naeem 1-0-1-0; Adnan Mahmood 1-0-1-0.