- Scorecards of all three matches are available here; action photos available here, please credit @PCB
- Post-day virtual media conferences (NSK – Central Punjab v Sindh) of Ali Zaryab and Mir Hamza available here
- More details available on PCB’s corporate website www.pcb.com.pk; event hashtags are #QeA20 and #HarHaalMainCricket; for session by session updates, please follow @TheRealPCB_Live
- Urdu version of the round-up attached here
Karachi, 2 December 2020: Northern collected four bonus points for bowling as they bowled out Southern Punjab for 285 at UBL Sports Complex on the opening day of the sixth round of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
The table-toppers were rolled out in 86.3 overs as Sadaf Hussain took three wickets, while Munir Riaz, who marked his first-class debut with a five-wicket haul in the last round, and captain Nauman Ali took two wickets each.
Sadaf, the 30-year-old left-arm pacer, accounted for opener Zain Abbas (four), Imran Rafiq (0) and Zahid Mehmood (five).
Southern Punjab were struggling at 46 for three before half-centuries by their captain Umar Siddiq, Saif Badar and Salman Ali Agha helped their side to a respectable total and two batting bonus points.
Umar, the wicketkeeper-batsman, smashed 89 off 203 in an innings studded with nine boundaries and was supported by Saif Badar as the pair stitched a solid 143-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Saif, the 22-year-old, made 81 with the help of 10 fours and two sixes.
Salman Ali Agha followed up his career-best 169 in the previous match with a 57-ball 53 – his 17th half-century at this level. The 27-year-old right-handed batsman crunched six fours and a six.
Only one over was bowled in Northern’s innings – in which opener Sarmad Bhatti got a boundary off Aamer Yamin – before the stumps were drawn.
Sarmad will resume Northern’s innings on Thursday morning in the company of Nasir Nawaz with the scoreboard reading of six for none.
In the broadcast match at the National Stadium, Usman Salahuddin scored his 46th first-class half-century on his 30th birthday as Central Punjab were 232 for five from 87 overs against Sindh at the close of play.
The right-handed middle-order batsman scored 80, which included nine boundaries. Over the course of his 168-ball stay, Usman stitched a 115-run alliance for the second wicket with opener Ali Zaryab, the other Central Punjab batsman to score a half-century on the opening day of the fixture with a 152-ball 56.
Ali struck five boundaries.
Mohammad Saad and Saad Nasim made notable contributions by adding 41 and 44 runs, respectively. They put a 61-run partnership for the fourth wicket, before Tabish Khan, who is the leading wicket-taker for Sindh, accounted for them.
Tabish, the right-arm pacer, took two wickets for 28 runs.
Both teams added one point to their accounts as Central Punjab went past the 200-run mark and Sindh took five wickets.
Qasim Akram, who is yet to open his account, and Bilawal Iqbal, not out on one, will resume the proceedings for Central Punjab on the second morning.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kamran Ghulam scored a brilliant 130 not out as his side were 292 for nine in 83.4 over against Balochistan.
The 25-year-old right-handed batsman has struck 14 fours and two sixes in the 227 balls he has faced to date. This is his first century of the 2020-21 season and fifth of his career.
Kamran and Rehan Afridi, who scored 58 off 91, added crucial 95 runs for the sixth wicket after pacers Khurram Shehzad and Umaid Asif reduced Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to 64 for five.
Khurram Shehzad dismissed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s top-three batsmen – Musadiq Ahmed (one), Israrullah (19) and Fakhar Zaman (four).
With three for 69, Umaid was the pick of the bowlers. Pacer Taj Wali took two wickets for 70 runs.
Balochistan will be hoping to get Balochistan’s last wicket inside 300 runs so they can bag an additional all-out bonus point, along with the three over-based bonus points they have pocketed already, when the second day’s play commences.
Kamran, who will be hoping to breach the 300-run barrier to ensure his side pockets three bonus points for batting, will have the company of Irfanullah Shah.
Scores in brief:
At UBL Sports Complex, Southern Punjab elected to bat
Southern Punjab 285-10, 86.3 overs (Umar Siddiq 89, Saif Badar 81, Salman Ali Agha 53, Aamer Yamin 26, Zeeshan Ashraf 25; Sadaf Hussain 3-45, Munir Riaz 2-39, Nauman Ali 2-51)
Northern 6-0, 1 over (Sarmad Bhatti 6 not out)
Points to date: Southern Punjab 2, Northern 4
At National Stadium, Sindh elected to bowl (toss uncontested)
Central Punjab 232-5, 87 overs (Usman Salahuddin 80, Ali Zaryab 56, Saad Nasim 44, Mohammad Saad 41; Tabish Khan 2-28)
Points to date: Central Punjab 1, Sindh 1
At State Bank Stadium, Balochistan elected to bowl (toss uncontested)
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 292-9, 83.4 overs (Kamran Ghulam 130 not out, Rehan Afridi 58, Khalid Usman 27; Umaid Asif 3-69, Khurram Shehzad 3-78, Taj Wali 2-70)
Points to date: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 2, Balochistan 3
