KP steamroll

Central Punjab in fourth round clash

By our correspondent

KARACHI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa demolished Central Punjab by an innings and 126 runs in their fourth round fixture of the non-first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy at Hayatabad Sports Complex in Peshawar on Friday.

After following-on, Central Punjab resumed their second innings at 50-6 and were dismissed for 121 in 50.5 overs, handing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a huge victory. Mohammad Irfan Khan top-scored 30 off 73 balls with three fours and a six.

For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Asad Afridi was the best bowler in second innings with a haul of five wickets for 31 runs, while Sajid Khan grabbed three wickets for 40 runs.

KP had posted 400-7 in their first innings, while Central Punjab were skittled out for only 153 in response.

Meanwhile, the second match between Northern and Balochistan here at the NBP Sports Complex ended in a draw.

Resuming their second innings at 122-7, Balochistan were dismissed for 242 courtesy Gulraiz Sadaf’s unbeaten 53 and Ibtisam Shaikh’s 43 down the order. Earlier, Balochistan opening batsman Shahzad Tareen was replaced with Awais Zia in the second innings as concussion replacement. Awais Zia scored 18 off 17 balls. For Northern, Syed Raza-ul-Hasan grabbed three wickets.

Chasing 213, Northern scored 98-7 in 51 overs when the match ended. Jamal Anwar top-scored with 22, while Akbar-ur-Rehman and Jalat Khan took two wickets apiece. The fixture between Sindh and Southern Punjab at Bahawalpur’s Dring Stadium ended in a draw as the first day was lost due to rain.

Southern Punjab scored 209-5 in 59 overs. Earlier, on the second day, they bowled out Sindh out for 289 in 82.4 overs.

For Southern Punjab, Zeeshan Ashraf and Mukhtar Ahmed contributed 138 for the first-wicket stand. Zeeshan top-scored with 136-ball 88, while Mukhtar Ahmed made 68 off 107 balls with ten fours and a six. Left-arm spinner Hassan Khan was the pick of the bowlers with 3-65.