KARACHI: With Khyber Pakhtunkhwa already having qualified for the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class competition, the real contest from Saturday in the 10th and last round of matches will be effectively down to three outfits.

Of them, Northern brace themselves for the biggest challenge. Currently placed third and no less than 14 points behind Southern Punjab, The Nauman Ali-led side has its task drastically cut out against the high-flying Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the televised fixture at the National Stadium.

Northern’s prospects of making it to the Jan 1-5 title decider at the same venue were badly dented by their diabolical batting woes when they failed to post big totals as they capitulated to an innings and five-run drubbing by the already-eliminated Balochistan in the penultimate round.

Therefore, it looks increasingly unlikely that Northern are in a position to emulate their feat in the inaugural season of the revamped tournament when they sneaked into the final against eventual champions Central Punjab.

But Northern should feel themselves in comfort zone since their first-phase match on the same National Stadium turf was dominated by them and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa barely avoided defeat on the fourth evening chiefly due to the stubborn resistance of their last pair — Mohammad Wasim and Arshad Iqbal — at the crease.

In the current scenario, Southern Punjab are poised to go through because Central Punjab are not only 17 points behind them in the current standings but an ankle injury to their spearhead Waqas Maqsood in the previous game has crippled them. Despite the calamity afflicting Hasan Ali’s side, the Punjab derby at the SBP Sports Complex may still throw up a big surprise.

Southern Punjab were in pole position during the first phase but losses to in the return fixtures Northern and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cost them heavily. However, they have managed to regroup in nick of time on the back of their stupendous 370-run chase against the hugely-disappointing Sindh as they won by five wickets, thanks to scintillating centuries from Imran Rafiq and Agha Salman.

The corresponding all-Punjab fixture at the UBL Sports Complex — which was contested exactly a month ago — yielded a high-scoring stalemate and a repeat outcome over the coming four days would obviously suit the Umar Siddique-led Southern Punjab side more than their opponents, unless Northern pull of a miraculous victory against Khalid Usman’s charges.

Meanwhile, the inconsequential encounter between Balochistan and Sindh at the UBL Sports Complex still holds great importance since it would signal the end of former Pakistan opener Imran Farhat’s playing career. The 38-year-old Balochistan captain — who made his first-class debut way back in 1998-99 — will be desperately hoping to go out on a high in what would be his 230th first-class appearance.

The Asad Shafiq-skippered Sindh, on the other hand, will be anxious to secure only their second success in 10 fixtures and avoid concluding a horrendous campaign with just one victory — a contrived six-wicket triumph in the opening match of the championship after the then Central Punjab captain Azhar Ali, in a sporting gesture, declared the second innings much earlier than expected — at the bottom of the six-team table.

Current standings

(Tabulated under played, won, lost, drawn, points):

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 9 5 1 3 148

Southern Punjab 9 4 3 2 128

Northern 9 3 3 3 114

Central Punjab 9 3 3 3 111 Balochistan 9 2 4 3 102

Sindh 9 1 4 4 85

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2020