KARACHI: Still 190 runs behind their opponents. But, still, well-placed to get a first-innings lead.

Thanks largely to their openers Haider Ali and Mohammad Huraira, Northern reached 184-3 against defending champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at stumps on the second day of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final on Sunday.

Having bowled out Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for 374, both Haider and Huraira hit half-centuries as they shared an brisk opening stand of a 100 runs in the day/night pink-ball final at the National Stadium.

Pakistan international spinner Sajid Khan sent them both the pavilion before Sameen Gul got rid of Northern captain Umar Amin with Sarmad Bhatti (39 not out) and Farhan Riaz (one not out) still at the crease.

Huraira, fresh from making a triple century in the last round-robin encounter, showed he was a batter in top form.

He hit seven fours and a stright six over long-on in a 65-ball 51 before Sajid got him lbw with a delivery that turned sharply and had him on the backfoot. He walked off, showing his bat to the umpire and suggesting that he may have touched the ball.

Haider too is a batter in form, racking up runs in Pakistan’s recent Twenty20 series against the West Indies at the National Stadium.

He cracked 14 boundaries in his 81 and was dismissed attempting another hit to the fence. Trying to hit Sajid out of the park, he could only find Sameen at long-on.

Northern were then 163-2 and it was 180-3 when Sameen had Umar caught at first slip.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who shared the trophy last season with Central Punjab after their final had ended in a draw, tried for another breakthrough but Farhan and Sarmad stood firm even if they combined for just four runs in almost eight overs.

Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa managed to add another 122 runs to their total thanks to Asif Afridi’s 68 after resuming on their overnight score of 252-5.

Rehan Afridi could only add eight runs to his overnight score before he departed for 31, edging a Kashif Ali delivery to wicket-keeper Rohail Nazir, but Asif was joined by Sajid and they added 39 runs with the latter contributing a run-a-ball 22.

Sajid hit a six and a boundary before being out lbw on Mohammad Nawaz’s armball that hit his backpad.

Asif and Mohammad Wasim Jr (21) then added another 63 runs to frustrate Northern bowlers but the former perished after hitting a six and six boundaries when he holed a Mubasir Khan delivery to Nawaz at mid-on.

Mubasir then wrapped up the tail when he dismissed Wasim and Imran Khan off successive deliveries.

Wasim went for a sweep against the spinner but missed the ball completely and was out lbw before Imran top-edged a similar delivery while playing a similar shot to mid-on.

Mubasir was the pick of the bowlers with 4-52 while pacer Waqas Ahmed got 3-94.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2021