Quaid-e-Azam Trophy: Abbas takes five; Umar, Israrullah score centuries

Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas’ second consecutive five-wicket haul skittled Sindh for 210 after Southern Punjab opted to bowl, without contesting the toss, at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on the first day of round seven of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2022-23.

The Test fast bowler took five wickets for 50 in 18.1 overs, accounting for Omair Bin Yousuf, Saad Khan, Fawad Alam, Saim Ayub and Abrar Ahmed.

Wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed made a fighting 56 off 62, hitting seven fours. This was the top-score of the innings.

Southern Punjab were 21 for one. Umar Siddiq, one of the three centurions for Southern Punjab in the last round, was dismissed for six off Ghulam Mudassar. Zain Abbas and Mohammad Ilyas, 14 and 0, respectively, will resume Southern Punjab’s innings tomorrow.

Umar Amin stroked his second century of the season as Northern, who elected to bat after calling correctly at the toss, were 232 for five against Balochistan at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium. The left-hander was unbeaten on 116 off 174 balls and hit 13 fours and a six. This was 33-year-old’s 26th first-class century.

Bilawal Iqbal took two wickets for 41 runs in 17 overs. Khurram Shahzad, Yasir Shah and Hussain Talat picked up a wicket each.

At the LCCA ground in Lahore, Israrullah recorded his 14th first-class century as he made 124 in 211 balls. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa finished the day at 267 for five after Central Punjab opted to bowl without contesting the toss. Waqar Ahmed and Kamran Ghulam scored 47 and 45.

Ahmed Daniyal took two wickets for 80 runs. Mohammad Ali and Usama Mir picked up a wicket each.

Scores in brief:

Toss uncontested – Southern Punjab opt to bowl against Sindh at Pindi Cricket Stadium

Sindh 210 all out, 69.1 overs (Sarfaraz Ahmed 56, Muhammad Umar 39, Fawad Alam 27, Abrar Ahmed 26, Saud Shakeel 23; Mohammad Abbas 5-50)

Southern Punjab 23-1, 7.3 overs (Zain Abbas 14 not out)

Northern elect to bat against Balochistan at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium

Northern 232-5, 68.3 overs (Umar Amin 116 not out, Mohammad Huraira 35, Faizan Riaz 31; Bilawal Iqbal 2-41)

Toss uncontested – Central Punjab opt to bowl against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the LCCA Ground

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 267-5, 75 overs (Israrullah 124, Waqar Ahmed 47, Kamran Ghulam 45, Sahibzada Farhan 25; Ahmed Daniyal 2-80).