KARACHI: For the second straight round, all matches in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy failed to yield a conclusive result at any of the three venues.

The only interest on Saturday’s fourth and final day was whether Ayaz Tasawwar and Bismillah Khan would succeed in reaching their centuries at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

In the end, both Ayaz (113) and Bismillah (116) did, and their superlative partnership of 209 for the fifth wicket inspired Balochistan to 571-7 declared in response to Southern Punjab’s 457-5 declared.

In the brief time left, Tayyab Tahir followed up his stupendous knock of 221 in the first innings by hitting up an unbeaten 60.

Pakistan Test discard Asad Shafiq made amends for his first-ball duck last Wednesday by making a stroke-filled 96 while adding 141 for the fourth wicket with the ever-reliable Fawad Alam (66 not out) as Sindh recovered from 18-3 to close at 180-5 against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the Iqbal Stadium.

Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa closed their first innings after adding 63 further runs to their overnight tally of 440-4. The highlights were the magnificent opening partnership of 226 between Israrullah (160) and Sahibzada Farhan (100).

Northern had the better of their drawn fixture at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore against Central Punjab.

On a placid pitch, Northern gained did very well to restrict a star-studded batting line-up by dismissing Central Punjab for 367 despite Abid Ali (81) and Ahmed Shehzad (58) sharing a first-wicket stand of 110.

Scores and results (final day four):

Second round:

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: Match drawn.

NORTHERN 455-9 declared in 132.5 overs (Faizan Riaz 213, Sarmad Bhatti 82, Rohail Nazir 54, Nasir Nawaz 46, Mubasir Khan 25; Ehsan Adil 3-60, Zafar Gohar 3-127) and 239-2 in 50.1 overs (Mohammad Hurraira 107 not out, Umar Amin 56, Nasir Nawaz 55); CENTRAL PUNJAB 367 in 116.5 overs (Abid Ali 81, Hussain Talat 62, Ahmed Shehzad 58, Ehsan Adil 49, Bilawal Iqbal 48 not out; Mohammad Saad 29; Mohammad Musa Khan 4-81, Nauman Ali 2-127).

At Iqbal Stadium: Match drawn.

SINDH 367 in 110.1 overs (Saad Khan 129, Fawad Alam 122, Sohail Khan 28, Ashiq Ali 26, Mohammad Hasan 25; Niaz Khan 5-58, Imran Khan 3-58); KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA 503-7 declared in 144.2 overs (Israrullah 160, Sahibzada Farhan 100, Iftikhar Ahmed 82, Rehan Afridi 74, Adil Amin 25, Sajid Khan 25 not out; Fawad Alam 2-46).

At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: Match drawn.

SOUTHERN PUNJAB 457-5 declared in 98.5 overs (Tayyab Tahir 221, Azam Khan 85, Imran Rafiq 81, Umar Siddique 32, Zain Abbas 30; Junaid Khan 2-87) and 112-2 in 32 overs (Tayyab Tahir 60 not out, Umar Siddique 29, Imran Rafiq 21 not out); BALOCHISTAN 571-5 declared in 178.1 overs (Bismillah Khan 116, Ayaz Tasawwar 110, Imam-ul-Haq 109, Imran Butt 95, Haris Sohail 49, Amad Butt 35; Mohammad Imran Randhawa 2-102, Ali Usman 2-127).

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2021