Sindh, KP match drawn; Southern Punjab hold Balochistan in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2019

All-rounder Zohaib Khan slammed unbeaten 110 off 244 balls as the second round fixture of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (first-class) between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh ended in a draw here at the UBL Sports Complex, Karachi.

Resuming from his overnight score of 70, Zohaib went on to score an unbeaten 110, his seventh first-class century, to enable KP to declare their first innings at 355-8 after starting the day at 296-6 in response to Sindh’s total of 476-9 declared.

Zohaib, who is also a fine left-arm spinner, smashed ten fours in his 322-minute stay at the crease. He added 51 runs for the seventh wicket with emerging spinner Umer Khan who made 31 off 67 balls, striking four fours.

Left-arm spinner Kashif Bhatti was the pick of the bowlers with 4-108 in his 49.1 overs. Tabish Khan got 3-83. Sindh reached 81-1 in their second innings when the show ended. After losing Khurram Manzoor for four, Saad Ali (40*) and Omair Yousuf (34*) added 77 runs for the second wicket unbroken association.

Saad, who failed in his previous two innings this season, smashed six fours from 97 deliveries. Omair, who hit a superb century in the first innings, clobbered four fours from 81 deliveries.

Imran Khan Senior got 1-10 in four overs. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa collected three batting points for being at 300-6 in 110 overs. Earlier in the match, Sindh had secured four batting points for crossing the 350-run mark in 110 overs in their first innings. Both teams bagged two bowling points and five points for drawing the match.

In the third round, which commences on September 28, Sindh will travel to Rawalpindi to face Northern at the KRL Stadium and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in what will be an away game for them, play Southern Punjab in Abbottabad in the same dates.

Meanwhile, the show between Balochistan and Southern Punjab also ended in a draw at the Bugti Stadium, Quetta. When the stumps were drawn on the final day of the four-day game, Balochistan in their second innings were 42 without loss in 11 overs, while chasing 190 to win. Imran Butt (29) and Azeem Ghumman (9) were the not out batsmen. Balochistan had amassed 500-9 declared in their first innings. Southern Punjab, in reply, were bowled out for 308 in 94.4 overs and were forced to follow on.

Shan Masood’s men then scored 381 all out in 95 overs to set Balochistan a tough victory target of 190 runs in only 26 possible overs till close.

Earlier, after follow-on Southern Punjab resumed their second innings at 132-3. They lost both their overnight not out batsmen Umar Siddiq (49) and Imran Rafiq (33) with 198 runs on the board, giving Balochistan a sniff of a possible win.

However, Adnan Akmal and Aamer Yamin shared a much-needed 97-run partnership for the sixth wicket before Bilawal Bhatti (38) adding important runs to take the visitors towards safety.

Adnan scored 82 with the help of nine fours. Aamer was more aggressive in his approach, cracking eight fours and two sixes in his 64-ball 61. Test-leggie Yasir Shah was the pick of Balochistan’s bowlers, finishing with figures of 5-104. Hussain Talat and Mohammad Asghar took two wickets each. Balochistan earned 13 points (5 for a draw, 5 batting, 3 bowling), while Southern Punjab secured nine points (5 for a draw, 3 batting, 1 bowling).