KARACHI Opener Shahzeb Hasan smashed a superb century to power Karachi Blues to 297 on the first day of the RBS Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship Group 'B' fixture against Lahore Ravi at the National Stadium here on Monday.
Shahzeb, a member of the triumphant Pakistan World Twenty20 squad, hammered 127 off 157 deliveries in 241 minutes after Lahore Ravi skipper and former international Junaid Zia won the toss and decided to field first.
The right-handed Shahzeb stroked 16 fours and three sixes until lanky paceman Waqas Ahmed trapped him leg-before-wicket.
Asad Shafiq made 48 with the help of eight boundaries while partnering Shahzeb in a second-wicket stand of 127. Test reject Asim Kamal (23), Tariq Haroon (28) and Ali Asad (25) were the only other home batsmen to cross the 20-run mark.
Lahore Ravi staged a belated comeback through fast bowler Mohammad Irshad who finished with 5-59 in 19 overs. Junaid and Waqas claimed two wickets each.
Lahore Ravi, however, made a shaky start as opener Sohail Ahmed departed for a golden duck to Tanvir Ahmed.
Hyderabad collapsed dramatically to be all out for 194 after openers Aqeel Anjum (37) and Sharjeel (46) put on a stand of 81 against Multan at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad. Left-arm paceman Rizwan Haider took 5-40.
Multan closed at 127-1 after an opening partnership of 99 between Babar Ali (40 not out) and skipper Kashif Naveed (61).
Meanwhile, rain played havoc with the matches in the northern part of the country with three matches failing to start on Monday.
Abbottabad were 34-3 against Peshawar after overnight rain delayed the start at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium by four and a half hours.
Our Sports Reporter adds from Lahore Despite half-centuries by Sohail Idrees and skipper Ali Raza, Lahore Shalimar made a modest 257 against Karachi Whites at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Sohail scored 74 (104 balls, 12 fours) and Ali Raza made 71 (136 balls, seven fours). Paceman Tabish Khan (3-69) was the major wicket taker for the visitors.
PIA hit back after being bowled out for 179 in their first innings against National Bank in the Group 'A' clash at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. Pacemen Uzair-ul-Haq (4-51) and Wasim Khan (3-35) were the chief wicket-takers as only Kamran Sajid (43) made a notable contribution for PIA.
But the PIA bowlers made life difficult for the bankers by sending back five of their batsmen for only 55 runs by stumps.
A fine century by Adil Nisar (147 balls, 19 fours) guided Wapda to 204-2 against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) at the Jinnah Stadium in Gujranwala.
Adil and Riffatullah Mohmand (65 off 121 balls, eight fours) provided a fine opening stand of 145 in 172 minutes.
Fine knocks of 81 by Farrukh Shahzad and Naveed Latif (60) helped Faisalabad reach 234-7 against Quetta at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha.
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