Islamabad promoted to Quaid-e-Azam Trophy after winning Hanif Mohammad Trophy 2023-24

Islamabad have won the Hanif Mohammad Trophy 2023-24 to earn a promotion to the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy despite losing their last match of the Super-Four stage to Quetta at Multan Cricket Stadium.

Quetta chased 191 in 50.3 overs, consequently inflicting a five-wicket defeat on Islamabad on the final day of the last round of the Hanif Mohammad Trophy. The previous day, Abbottabad defeated Hyderabad by three wickets after comfortably chasing down 187 in 47.3 overs at the Sheikh Khalifa Sports Complex in Rahim Yar Khan.

Quetta v Islamabad at Multan Cricket Stadium

Quetta resumed from their overnight score of 92 in 23 overs while chasing 191 in the final innings. The side achieved the target in 50.3 overs with five wickets to spare. Hazrat Wali (65, 98b, 11x4s) was the highest scorer in the innings. Bismillah Khan, who remained undefeated and hit 40 runs in 60 balls including five boundaries, was the other contributor with the bat.

Although Islamabad bowlers unleashed a counter-attack as Mohammad Nadeem returned with three wickets and Sikandar Tajwar picked up two scalps. However, the Quetta batters could not be troubled enough to derail their chase, which was completed with considerable ease as the table-topping side lost to Quetta by five wickets.

Islamabad have won a promotion to the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and will be among the eight participating teams in the next season, while FATA – who were at the bottom of the table in the country’s premier first-class tournament – have been relegated to the Hanif Mohammad Trophy. Islamabad ended the season reigning on top of the table, while Quetta occupied the second spot.

Islamabad’s Hassan Nawaz, who scored 530 in seven matches, was the leading run-getter of the Hanif Mohammad Trophy. He amassed three half-centuries and one century during the tournament. Hyderabad’s Daniyal Hussain Rajput, with 526 runs in seven matches, was squarely behind Hassan on the list. He scored four half-centuries and a solitary century over the course of the season. Hyderabad’s Mohammad Suleman racked up 514 runs at 46.72 with two centuries and as many fifties in the season.

Jawad Ali, the Hyderabad spinner, was the most successful bowler of the season. He took 46 wickets at an average of 22.13 and registered four five-wicket-hauls and two four-wicket-hauls, including season-best figures of seven for 23. Quetta’s Jalat Khan was the second highest wicket-taker, with 44 scalps to his name. He bowled at an average of 12.48 and had season-best figures of seven for 32. He picked up four five-fers and three four-fers over the course of the tournament. Islamabad’s Shayan Sheikh bagged 37 wickets at an average of 17.48 in the competition.

Scores in brief:

Quetta beat Islamabad by five wickets – Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan

Islamabad 150 all out, 53.3 overs (Rizwan Ali 36, Farmanullah Khan 29; Gohar Faiz 3-29, Najeebullah Jr 3-50, Jalat Khan 2-29) and 238 all out, 71.2 overs (Hassan Nawaz 71, Faizan Riaz 53, Mohammad Hammad 47; Jalat Khan 5-50, Najeebullah Jr 3-50)

Quetta 198 all out, 82.5 overs (Latifullah Shah 48, Bismillah Khan 38, Shahbaz Khan 36; Azan Tariq 3-18, Sikandar Tajwar 2-23, Mohammad Nadeem 2-50) and 191-5, 50.3 overs (Hazrat Wali 65, Bismillah Shah 40 not out; Mohammad Nadeem 3-78, Sikandar Tajwar 2-50)

Abbottabad beat Hyderabad by three wickets – Sheikh Khalifa Sports Complex, Rahim Yar Khan

Hyderabad 128 all out, 53.1 overs (Daniyal Hussain Rajput 48, Jawad Ali 19; Fayyaz Khan 4-32, Khalid Usman 3-6, Adil Naz 3-41) and 220 all out, 75.1 overs (Rizwan Mehmood 82, Mohammad Suleman 56; Khalid Usman 7-57, Mansoor Ali 2-36)

Abbottabad 162 all out, 44.1 overs (Anees Azam Khan 53, Mohammad Arif 42; Jawad Ali 6-48, Mustafa Nasir 3-41) and 187-7, 47.3 overs (Mehrooz Rasheed 46, Khalid Usman 38, Anees Azam Khan 34; Jawad Ali 3-61, Mustafa Nasir 2-49)