KARACHI: Hyderabad began their campaign in the ninth Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah National Women’s Cricket Championship qualifying round with a crushing eight-wicket win over Faisalabad in Islamabad on Monday.

Hyderabad, inspired by a fine unbeaten century from Sajjida Shah, comfortably reached their target of 178 with no less than 45 deliveries to spare in the Group ‘A’ fixture at the Marghazar Cricket Ground.

Sajjida made 104 off 153 balls with 18 fours and one six and dominated the unbroken third-wicket partnership of 123 with Natalia Pervez, who scored 43 (68 balls, four fours and one six).

Earlier Faisalabad, who were put in to bat, did well to total 177-7 in their 50 overs after tottering at 40-6. Rabia Basri contributed an unbeaten 57 (122 balls, three fours) and Farwa Batool hit 47 (78 balls, five fours) with the pair involved in a stand of exactly 100 before Farwa was dismissed in an unconventional manner when she hit the ball twice.

Sumaiya Siddiqui captured three wickets for 12 runs and Maham Manzoor two for 30.

Sajjida was adjudged player-of-the-match.

In Monday’s other fixture, Peshawar beat Bahawalpur by 64 runs in the Group ‘B’ match at the Diamond Club Ground.

Peshawar posted a modest 193 all out in 47.2 overs after electing to bat first. Asma Tehseen (54 off 71 balls, six boundaries) and Bakhtawar Iqbal (51 off 93 balls, five fours) were the leading run-getters.

Ruqaiya Iqbal (4-25) and Maria Gulnaz (3-40) shared the bowling honours for Bahawalpur.

Bahawalpur, in their reply, were dismissed for 129 in the 39th over with Rubina Kausar making a defiant 63 (101 balls, seven fours).

Bakhtawar Iqbal, declared player-of-the-match, completed a good all-round performance by taking 3-13, while Shakeela Naz took 2-44.

In the matches played on Saturday’s opening day of the competition, Peshawar were upstaged by Abbottabad by six wickets at the National Cricket Ground and Faisalabad mauled Quetta by seven wickets in a low-scoring clash at the Marghazar Cricket Ground.

The top team from each group will qualify for the final round that starts from Saturday (May 24). The teams who have already qualified for the final round are Karachi, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Lahore, Islamabad and Multan.

The final of the championship will be played at the Diamond Club Ground on May 30.

Summarised scores:

Hyderabad bt Faisalabad by eight wickets.

FAISALABAD 177-7 in 50 overs (Rabia Basri 57 not out, Farwa Batool 47, Maria Ashraf 18; Sumaiya Siddiqui 3-12, Maham Manzoor 2-30); HYDERABAD 178-2 in 42.3 overs (Sajjida Shah 104 not out, Natalia Pervez 43 not out, Khatija Chishti 17).

Peshawar bt Bahawalpur by 64 runs.

PESHAWAR 193 in 47.2 overs (Asma Tehseen 54, Bakhtawar Iqbal 51; Shakeela Naz 22, Zainab Khan 20; Ruqaiya Iqbal 4-25, Maria Gulnaz 3-40, Humaira Khan 2-25); BAHAWALPUR 129 in 38.3 overs (Rubina Kausar 63, Zahida Ghani 22; Bakhtawar Iqbal 3-13, Shakeela Naz 2-44).

Abbottabad bt Peshawar by six wickets.

PESHAWAR 173 in 47.1 overs (Shakeela Naz 40, Zainab Khan 33, Salma Faiz 30, Asma Tehseen 24; Sadia Shah 3-12, Hafza Khalid 2-17, Nashra Sindhu 2-50); ABBOTTABAD 174-4 in 49.4 overs (Hafza Khalid 69, Qanita Jalil 30, Rubab Akhtar 23, Sania Ashraf 21).

Faisalabad bt Quetta by seven wickets.

QUETTA 54 in 29.2 overs (Ayesha Siddiqa 12; Sadia Yousuf 3-8, Sadia Iqbal 3-9, Rabia Basri 2-11); FAISALABAD 56-3 in 16.2 overs (Zainab Riaz 17 not out; Hina Azam 2-24).

Wednesday’s fixtures: Hyderabad v Quetta (Marghazar Cricket Ground, Islamabad); Abbottabad v Bahawalpur (National Cricket Ground, Islamabad).

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2014