KARACHI: Mir Ali Talpur silenced his critics by playing a captain’s hand that guided Hyderabad to a respectable 235-8 in their first innings on the opening day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship Division II fixture against KRL at the UBL Sports Complex here on Tuesday.

Talpur’s nomination to the captaincy of the regional side has been questioned since his father happens to be the president of the Hyderabad Region Cricket Association. But the Hyderabad skipper came to the rescue after KRL, who had opted to field first, reduced them to 106-5.

Talpur excelled by scorning 65 off 103 balls in a knock that featured five sixes and three fours. Ghulam Yasin (45 not out) helped Talpur add 82 for the seventh wicket. Left-arm paceman Rahat Ali has so far claimed 4-33.

Ali Waqas scored his second century in successive games as he scored an undefeated 120 (220 balls, 16 fours) to help SNGPL post 273-4 after winning the toss against Karachi Whites at the NBP Sports Complex. SNGPL skipper Umar Akmal contributed a 41-ball 44 (six fours and one six) before got himself stumped by attempting a lazy shot.

Opener Mohammad Fayyaz struck a career-best 198 not out to steer Peshawar to 328-3 after the visitors decided to bat first against Lahore Shalimar at the Gaddafi Stadium. Fayyaz has so far laced his 257-ball innings with 28 fours and three sixes.

United Bank struggled to 218-9 after Lahore Ravi invited them to make first use of the LCCA Ground pitch, while Multan reached 262-7 after Quetta won the toss and elected to bowl at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

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

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: HYDERABAD 235-8 in 85.5 overs (Mir Ali Talpur 65, Shahid Qambrani 46, Ghulam Yasin 45 not out, Zahid Khan 43; Rahat Ali 4-33) v KRL.

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: SNGPL 273-4 in 83 overs (Ali Waqas 120 not out, Naeemuddin 50, Umar Akmal 44) v KARACHI WHITES.

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: PESHAWAR 328-3 in 83 overs (Mohammad Fayyaz 198 not out, Sajjad Ahmed Jan 52) v LAHORE SHALIMAR.

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: UNITED BANK 218-9 in 81 overs (Zafar Ali Katpar 58; Emmad Ali 5-41) v LAHORE RAVI.

At Multan Cricket Stadium: MULTAN 262-7 in 83 overs (Najam Abbas 73, Naved Yasin 40; Arun Lal 3-42) v QUETTA.