KARACHI: Central Punjab’s Abdullah Shafique registered his maiden first-class double hundred while last year’s player of tournament Mubasir Khan scored a big ton for Northern on the second day of the first round of matches of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy.

Pakistan Test opener Abdullah smashed 232 off just 262 balls — a knock that featured 28 fours and four sixes — helping Central Punjab 428 in the first innings against Sindh at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Wednesday. His innings played a crucial role in the two-time champions pocketing maximum batting points (five) for being at 411 for eight at 100-over-mark.

Central Punjab’s second-highest scorer was all-rounder Aamer Yamin, who accumulated 77 off 70, while also adding 135 for the seventh wicket with Abdullah.

Sindh’s, in reply, had to be rescued by veterans Fawad Alam and Sarfraz Ahmed after they were reeling at 94-3. The pair took Sindh to 270-5 by the end of the day, combining for an 86-run unbeaten stand.

Debutant opener Saim Ayub, who a revelation in Sindh’s run to triumph in the recently concluded National T20 Cup, demonstrated his class with 71 off 96, a knocked laced with nine fours and a six.

At the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, Northern posted a mammoth 529-5 against Southern Punjab, courtesy an extraordinary 170 not out off 236 balls from Mubasir, the last season’s player of the tournament. The all-rounder smashed 22 fours and a six after starting the day on 74.

Southern Punjab were two wickets down for 128. Opener Zain Abbas made a half-century and was batting at 69. Salman Ali Agha (35 not out) joined him at the other end.

In Abbotabad, Kashif Bhatti’s lower-order blitz helped Balochistan finish at 473 all out after they began the day on 324-5. Kashif smashed 11 fours and two sixes in his 84-ball 71 and was duly supported by number 10 batter Khurram Shahzad who made 47 in 69 balls (eight fours).

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had lost five batters for 151 before stumps.

Kamran Ghulam, with his unbeaten 64 off 105 (nine fours and a six) held Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s innings together after they were three down for 34 and added 67 runs with Adil Amin (39 off 60). Kamran will begin the proceedings on Thursday with Rehan Afridi, who is not out on 20.

Scores in brief:

Sindh trail by 158 runs against Central Punjab

CENTRAL PUNJAB 428 in 102.2 overs (Abdullah Shafique 232, Aamer Yamin 70; Mir Hamza 3-72, Asif Mehmood 3-128); SINDH 270-5 in 66 overs (Fawad Alam 75 not out, Saim Ayub 71, Sarfaraz Ahmed 42 not out; Aamer Yamin 2-50)

Southern Punjab trail by 401 runs against Northern

NORTHERN 529-5 (decl.) in 133 overs (Mubasir Khan 170 not out, Abdul Faseeh 151, Umar Amin 89, Sarmad Bhatti 81); SOUTHERN PUNJAB 128-2 in 47 overs (Zain Abbas 69 not out, Salman Ali Agha 35 not out)

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa trail by 322 runs against Balochistan

BALOCHISTAN 473 in 123 overs (Azeem Ghumman 78, Kashif Bhatti 71, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai 69; Arshad Iqbal 4-114); KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA 151-5 in 45 overs (Kamran Ghulam 64 not out, Adil Amin 39; Khurram Shahzad 2-37).

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2022