Quaid-e-Azam Trophy: Sindh thrash Southern Punjab

Sindh thumped Southern Punjab by 202 runs thanks to a consolidated performance by their bowlers. This is Sindh’s third win of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2022-23.

Southern Punjab were set 346 to win on the final day of the seventh round but could manage only 143 as they were bowled out in 40.3 overs at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.

Muhammad Umar picked up three wickets for 41. Ghulam Mudassar, Asif Mehmood and Abrar Ahmed equally shared six wickets, while the other batter (Azam Khan) was run out.

Usman Salahuddin, who scored two centuries in the last match, put the innings top score of 47. He hit seven fours in 67 balls.

The other two matches ended in draws as no play was possible at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium due to heavy rain and bad light, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in the third innings of the match, were 120 for one when play came to an end.

Central Punjab made 471 in 128.2 overs after beginning the day at 418 for seven.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Waqar Ahmed and Israrullah scored half-centuries. Waqar made 60 not out off 80 (11 fours and a six) and Israrullah made an unbeaten 83-ball 57 (six fours and two sixes).

Scores in brief:

Sindh beat Southern Punjab by 202 runs at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

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) and 337 all out, 107.2 overs (Khurram Manzoor 121, Saad Khan 70, Muhammad Umar 29, Asif Mehmood 24, Saud Shakeel 21; Mohammad Ilyas 3-57, Salman Ali Agha 2-31, Mohammad Abbas 2-54)

Southern Punjab 202 all out, 59.5 overs (Sharoon Siraj 35, Salman Ali Agha 231, Mohammad Ilyas 25, Azam Khan 24, Hasan Ali 21; Abrar Ahmed 6-61. Muhammad Umar 2-40, Ghulam Mudassar 2-52) and 143 all out, 40.3 overs (Usman Salahuddin 47, Salman Ali Agha 20; Muhammad Umar 3-41, Abrar Ahmed 2-19, Ghulam Mudassar 2-26, Asif Mehmood 2-38

Match drawn between Northern and Balochistan at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium

Northern 259 all out, 85.2 overs (Umar Amin 130, Faizan Riaz 31; Bilawal Iqbal 5-49, Akif Javed 2-59) and 68-1, 26 overs (Abdul Faseeh 38, Mohammad Huraira 24 not out) and 68-1, 26 overs (Abdul Faseeh 38, Mohammad Huraira 24 not out)

Balochistan 375 all out, 89.3 overs (Asad Shafiq 131, Haris Sohail 79, Imran Butt 44, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai 41; Aamir Jamal 8-120)

Match drawn between Central Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at LCCA Ground, Lahore

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 436 all out, 126.3 overs (Israrullah 124, Naiz Khan 65, Khalid Usman 53, Waqar Ahmed 47, Kamran Ghulam 45, Mohammad Imran 40, Sahibzada Farhan 25; Usama Mir 3-98, Ahmed Danuyal 3-115, Mohammad Ali 2-66) and 120-1, 27 overs (Waqar Ahmed 60 not out, Israrullah 57 not out)

Central Punjab 471 all out, 128.2 overs (Abid Ali 159, Abdullah Shafique 99, Tayyab Tahir 66, Mohammad Saad 35, Usama Mir 32; Khalid Usman 4-185, Mohammad Imran 3-62) .