KARACHI: Discarded Pakis­tan speed giant Mohammad Irfan starred with a five-for on Tuesday as Multan defeated Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) by seven wickets to storm into the semi-finals of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-II cricket tournament.

In a bizarre second day’s play at the Multan Cricket Stadium, the hosts shot out AJK for just 33 in the second innings after conceding a slender 16-run lead on the first when they were dismissed for 219.

The day saw as many as 23 wickets go down before Multan pocketed six points to top Pool ‘A’ with 21. The result also ensured Abbottabad — who have already completed their league-round matches before the start of the fifth and final round — making to the last-four round with 18 points.

Replying to AJK’s Monday tally of 235, Multan resumed at 26-0 but somehow lost their way until skipper Zulfiqar Babar rescued them with an unbeaten 58 with his 64-ball knock containing eight fours and one six.

Left-armer Irfan then took over to claim five wickets for 18 runs in six overs as AJK folded up in only 91 minutes. Skipper Sardar Hasan Raza was the solitary visiting batsman to reach doubles. He made 11 before being run out, while they were five ducks in the entire innings that lasted 20 overs in total.

Needing 50, Multan lost three wickets in the process with discarded Pakistan right-hander Sohaib Maqsood striking 30 from 17 balls with the aid of three boundaries and a brace of sixes.

Bahawalpur earned an 88-run lead by restricting Quetta to 310 all out in the other Pool ‘A’ fixture at the Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur.

Quetta, who were 15-0 overnight, were poised to overhaul Bahawalpur’s first innings total when they reached 244-3 but lost the last seven wickets for the addition of only 66 runs.

Shahbaz Khan (85 off 154 balls, 11 boundaries) and opener Mohammad Imran (55) were the chief run-getters while slow left-armer Mohammad Imran Jr grabbed six wickets for 129 runs in 38 overs.

In the remaining time, Bahawalpur extended their overall advantage to 121 runs by closing the day at 33-0 in their second innings.

With Karachi Blues already through to the semi-finals, the remaining place from Pool ‘B’ is still up for grabs in the ongoing game involving Hyderabad and Sialkot here at the TMC Ground.

However, as it stands now Hyderabad definitely have the edge after a brilliant innings of 173 from Saad Khan earned them a handy 29-run lead on the first innings.

Hyderabad, beginning day two at 10-0, rode on a fine fifth-wicket partnership of 143 in 109 minutes between Saad (209 balls, 24 fours and one six) and the experienced Shoaib Leghari (71 off 69, seven fours and two sixes) to collect 347 all out.

Sialkot then struggled to 43-3 in their second innings to lead by just 14 runs going into Wednesday’s last day.

Karachi Blues, meanwhile, are closing in on a third victory after taking a substantial 113-run lead on the first innings against Larkana at the National Stadium.

Seasoned all-rounder Tariq Haroon struck an undefeated 79 (126 balls, 13 boundaries and one six) to steer his team to 257 all out after the home side resumed at 126-4 in response to Larkana’s 144 all out.

The new-ball duo of Shahnawaz Dhani (5-82 in 25.3 overs) and Aamir Ali Pahnwar (4-89 in 25) shared the bowling honours.

Larkana ended the day at 116-4 in their second innings while holding only a three-run lead.

Close of play scores and result on Tuesday (day two of three):

Fifth round:

Pool ‘A’:

At Dring Stadium, Bahawalpur: BAHAWALPUR 398-3 in 83 overs (Moinuddin 160 not out, Adeel Basit 108 not out, Rafay Ahmed 51, Mohammad Wasim 48, Mudassar Nazir 22; M. Shahzad Tareen 2-77) and 33-0 in 10 overs; QUETTA 310 in 83 overs (Shahbaz Khan 85, Mohammad Imran 55, Bismillah Khan 45, Hazrat Wali 25, Taimur Khan 24, M. Shahzad Tareen 22; Mohammad Imran Jr 6-129).

At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: Multan beat Azad Jammu Kashmir by seven wickets.

AZAD JAMMU KASHMIR 235 in 80.1 overs (Sardar Hasan Raza 145, Abdul Shakoor 36; Zulfiqar Babar 5-60, Ahsan Baig 3-46) and 33 in 20 overs (Sardar Hasan Raza 11; Mohammad Irfan 5-18); MULTAN 219 in 63.5 overs (Zulfiqar Babar 58 not out, Kashif Naved 49, Abdul Rehman Muzammil 27, Zain Abbas 20, Waqar Hussain 20; Daniyal Allah Ditta 4-53) and 50-3 in 7.1 overs (Sohaib Maqsood 30; Daniyal Allah Ditta 2-19).

Pool ‘B’:

At National Stadium, Karachi: LARKANA 144 in 54.4 overs (Mohsin Raza 59 not out, Asif Babar 22; Ashiq Ali 3-14, Tariq Haroon 3-19, Mohammad Umar 3-35) and 116-4 in 42 overs (Mohsin Raza 49 not out, Asif Babar 20; Mohammad Umar 2-36); KARACHI BLUES 257 in 74.3 overs (Tariq Haroon 79 not out, Amad Alam 64, Saud Shakeel 35, Fahaddis Bukhari 34; Shahnawaz Dhani 5-82, Aamir Ali Pahnwar 4-89).

At TMC Ground, Karachi: SIALKOT 318 in 81.4 overs (Mansoor Amjad 83, Naeemuddin 68, Usama Mir 52 not out, Kaleem Ahmed 26; Nauman Ali 5-109, Babar Khan 2-56, Lal Kumar 2-93) and 43-3 in 12 overs (Asad Malik 2-20); HYDERABAD 347 in 81.3 overs (Saad Khan 173, Shoaib Leghari 71, Rizwan Ahmed 20, Asad Malik 20; Adnan Ghaus 4-65, Usama Mir 2-57, Mansoor Amjad 2-96).

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2018