KARACHI, Nov 8: Peshawar seized early honours by dismissing runaway Group-I leaders Rawalpindi for 180 on the first day of their Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship clash at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Friday.

Chasing in on the onset of winter in the northern region of the country, right-arm seamers Afaq Ahmed (3-62 in 17 overs) and Azam Khan (4-39 in 18) had the hosts reeling at 83-6 before last pair of Nasir Malik (20) and Akhtar Ayub (14) put on 25. Opener Shoaib Nasir contributed 38.

Peshawar negotiated 11.5 overs to close the day at 65-1 despite being deprived of opener Ashfaq Ahmed who was forced to retire hurt without any runs on the board.

Debutant paceman Bilawal Iqbal grabbed three wickets for 61 as reigning champions Karachi Blues recovered from 138-5 to reach 284-8 after Lahore Ravi captain Jahangir Mirza asked the home team to bat first here at the National Stadium. Faraz Ahmed Khan led the Blues’ comeback by scoring an unbeaten 50, while adding 74 for the seventh wicket with Mansoor Ahmed (49).

Hosts Abbottabad were 106-3 in 39 overs possible at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium after Sialkot chose to field upon winning the toss.

In Group-II, table-toppers Karachi Whites reached 229-6 after Quetta skipper Gohar Faiz decided to bowl first after calling correctly at the toss. Whites’ captain Asif Zakir (85 off 183 balls, 10 boundaries) and Wajid Ali (43) rescued their side from 76-3 by sharing a partnership worth 97 runs.

Pace bowler Mohammad Bilawal wreaked havoc in the brief spell of play at the LCCA Ground as Multan stumbled to 34-3 in 11.1 overs after being put into bat by Lahore Shalimar. Bilawal has so far grabbed three for 16 in six overs.

Hyderabad skipper Mir Ali Talpur’s option of fielding first at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad backfired somewhat as hosts Islamabad collected 229-7 in 61 overs. Paceman Farhan Ayub captured five for 68 in 17 overs.

Close of play scores on Friday (day one of four):

Group-I:

At National Stadium, Karachi: KARACHI BLUES 284-8 in 83 overs (Faraz Ahmed Khan 50 not out, Mansoor Ahmed 49, Javed Mansoor 48, Ashraf Ali 44, Abdul Jabbar 38; Bilawal Iqbal 3-61, Aleem Yousuf 3-76) v LAHORE RAVI.

At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: RAWALPINDI 180 in 61 overs (Shoaib Nasir 38; Azam Khan 4-39, Afaq Ahmed 3-62); PESHAWAR 65-1 in 11.5 overs (Israrullah 36).

At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad: ABBOTTABAD 106-3 in 39 overs (Mohammad Ali 45 not out, Mohammad Naeem 30; Hasan Ali 2-29) v SIALKOT.

Group-II:

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: KARACHI WHITES 229-6 in 83 overs (Asif Zakir 85, Wajid Ali 43; Faizullah 3-47) v QUETTA.

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: MULTAN 34-3 in 11.1 overs (Mohammad Bilawal 3-16) v LAHORE SHALIMAR.At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: ISLAMABAD 229-7 in 61 overs (Moeid Shaikh 58, Afaq Raheem 37; Farhan Ayub 5-68, Lal Kumar 2-40) v