Sialkot pacers shine on opening day of Quaid Trophy final

KARACHI: Amad Butt led Sialkot from the front as he snapped four wickets to bundle out Peshawar for 258 in 80.1 overs on the first day of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2024-25 final at the UBL Sports Complex here on Thursday.

Sialkot scored eight runs in two overs before the end of the day’s play. Sialkot opted to bowl first and vindicated their decision by reducing Peshawar to 145-5 and then 258 all out.

Amad, who bagged 4-51 in 19.1 overs, was helped by young pacers Ali Raza (3-62) and Shoaib Akhtar Jnr (2-60) as the trio accounted for nine wickets in 60.1 overs giving away 173 runs.

Earlier, opening batter Maaz Sadaqat struck four fours in his 61-ball 32-run stay at the crease while his partner Sahibzada Farhan returned for a mere six off 13 balls. No. 4 Nabi Gul faced 72 balls for his 44 runs with seven fours before falling in the 34th over with 106 runs on the board.

No.6 batter Zubair Khan top-scored with 47 off 126 balls including six fours. He stitched a 39-run fifth-wicket stand with Mehran Ibrahim (31 runs) and a 48-run sixth-wicket stand with Abuzar Tariq (15 runs). Skipper Sajid Khan scored 23 runs with four boundaries and Niaz Khan 31 runs with five boundaries. Sialkot will begin the day two, trailing by 250 runs with ten wickets in hand.