Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2019/20 Day 3, Sindh in trouble

Sindh vs Central Punjab:

A second career five-wicket haul by fast-bowler Naseem Shah helped Central Punjab to put a stranglehold over Sindh on Day Three of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

The 16-year-old returned figures of 19-2-78-6 as Sindh were dismissed for 256 after starting the penultimate day at the overnight score of 196 for four in reply to Central Punjab’s 313.

After securing a 57-run first innings lead, Central Punjab further consolidated their position by finishing the day at 192 for two as the visitors led by 249 with eight wickets standing.

Salman Butt ended the day batting at 90 while Pakistan Test captain Azhar Ali was out after a scoring 90. The two batsmen added 175 runs for the second wicket after Ahmed Shehzad had departed without scoring.

However, the day belonged to Naseem, who was playing his final first-class match before leaving for Australia next week for the World Test Championship Tests.

After picking up the scalps of Khurram Manzoor, Abid Ali and Omair Bin Yousuf on Tuesday, he added the wickets of Fawad Alam (92), Sarfaraz Ahmed (0) and Sohail Khan (0) to take his tally of event wickets to 15 – the most by a fast bowler to date.

This was also the first five-fer by a fast bowler in the first-class season.

Sindh was bowled out for 256 after managing to add 60 runs to their overnight score.

After the first innings, Central Punjab has collected three batting and three bowling points, while Sindh has pocketed two batting and three bowling points.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa vs Balochistan:

Adil Amin’s century and half-centuries from captain Sahibzada Farhan, Israrullah and Khalid Usman helped Khyber Pakhtunkhwa avoid follow-on against Balochistan on Day Three of their four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match at Quetta’s Bugti Stadium.

In reply of Balochistan’s mammoth 553 for eight, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were bowled out for 406 in 103.3 overs avoiding the follow-on. This, however, provided Balochistan a healthy first innings lead of 147 runs.

By the close of the third day’s play, the Imran Farhat-led side stretched that advantage to 177 runs for the loss of one wicket as Balochistan were 30 for one in 14.4 overs.

Azeem Ghumman (11) was the batsman to be dismissed, while his opening partner Awais Zia (17) and night-watchman Mohammad Asghar, yet to score a run, were batting when stumps were drawn.

Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resumed their innings on 150 for no loss.

Farhan added 14 runs to his overnight score before getting dismissed on 86. His partner, Israrullah scored 77 before being dismissed. 

After the fall of the openers, Adil Amin took the responsibility upon his shoulders and played some attractive strokes on his way to an excellent 109.

The right-hander cracked 15 boundaries in his 177-ball stay at the crease as he stitched a useful 119-run stand for the sixth-wicket with Khalid Usman, who cracked an 84-ball 56 with the help of nine fours, before Yasir Shah accounted for his wicket.

Australia-bound Yasir took four wickets for 111 runs, bowling 35 overs. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar took four for 107.

Southern Punjab vs Northern:

Centuries by Sami Aslam and Sohaib Maqsood helped Southern Punjab make a comeback against Northern on day-three of the four-day Quaid-e-Azam Trophy round five, first-class match at the Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot on Wednesday.

Southern Punjab ended the day at 403 for eight in their first innings, 147 runs short of Northern’s first innings total of 550 for six declared.

On Wednesday, resuming their first innings from the overnight score of 102 for one, Southern Punjab batsmen batted with authority in the first session of play to take the score to 208 for two.

The right-handed Sohaib Maqsood posted the 10th century of his first-class career in the post-lunch session. Sohaib took the attack to the Northern bowlers and reached his 100 off only 96 balls with the help of 14 fours and two sixes. He was dismissed for 111 runs as Southern Punjab took tea at 330 for five. 

Southern Punjab stayed in the hunt in the post-tea session too as the lower-order batsmen led by left-arm-spinner Mohammad Irfan’s 38 and Adnan Akmal’s 26 not out took the score past the 400-run mark when stumps were drawn for the day.

Noman was the pick of the Northern bowlers with figures of five for 138 in 31 overs. Shaheen Shah Afridi who is part of the Australia bound Pakistan Test squad took two wickets for 107 runs in 22 overs.