KARACHI, Dec 5: Tail-enders Azam Khan and Afaq Ahmed shared a remarkable last-wicket partnership of 95 to lead a spirited Peshawar fightback against champions Karachi Blues on the opening day of their Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship Group-I fixture in Peshawar on Thursday.

After being asked to bat first at the Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar were on the ropes at 118-9 as paceman Zohaib Shera (5-55 in 18 overs) and Rajesh Ramesh (3-64 in 14) made batting extremely hazardous for the earlier batsmen.

But Azam and Afaq then came together to help Peshawar get a respectable total of 213 all out in 54.5 overs with Azam striking four boundaries and three sixes in a career-best 69 from 81 balls. Afaq also reached a career-high score of 34 not out.

Karachi Blues, in their reply, were in tatters at 46-4 with the top four batsmen all gone to complete an action-packed day during which 14 wickets fell.

Pool leaders Rawalpindi encountered no such fears as they piled up 30-9-9 after choosing to bat first against hosts Lahore Ravi at the LCCA Ground. The standout performers were Awais Zia (83 off 126 balls, nine fours and three sixes) and Muzammil Nizam (60 off 90, 10 boundaries) who were involved in a fourth-wicket stand worth 114 runs.

Paceman Bilawal Iqbal (4-62 in 24 overs) and slow left-armer Tanzeel Altaf (3-55 in 10) were the most successful wicket-takers.

An unbroken partnership of 159 between Faisal Mubashir (91 off 196 balls, 13 fours) and Rehan Rafiq (90 off 165, 11 fours and one six) propelled Bahawalpur to 235-3 after Abbottabad skipper Waqar Orakzai invited the visitors to bat first at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Karachi Whites, the Group-II leaders, failed to take advantage of fine top-order batting from Fazal Subhan (50 off 88 balls, six boundaries), Hamza Ghanchi (74 off 166, 10 fours), captain Asif Zakir (70 not out, 161 balls, eight fours) and Wajid Ali (44) as they reached 256-5 against Hyderabad after winning the toss at the National Stadium.

Lahore Shalimar made an excellent recovery from 33-4 to post 340-5 after Quetta chose to bowl first at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore as the pair of 20-year-olds Umar Siddique and Agha Salman struck maiden centuries.

Umar surpassed his previous best first-class score of 88 to finish the day on an undefeated 143 from 190 balls with the aid of 24 boundaries, while Salman, whose highest score was 48, contributed 141 off 195 balls with 23 hits to the fence.

The fifth-wicket partnership between the left-handed Umar and Salman yielded 268 in 236 minutes.

Quetta captain Gohar Faiz returned figures of three for 57 in 18 overs with his medium-pacers.

Faisalabad were 19-0 after bowling out Islamabad for 179 while vindicating skipper Ammar Mahmood’s decision to field first at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. Ali Sarfraz made 79 for the visitors in a 120-ball knock containing 13 boundaries.

Close of play scores on Thursday (day one of four):

Group-I:

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: RAWALPINDI 309-9 in 88 overs (Awais Zia 83, Muzammil Nizam 60, Babar Naeem 48, Naved Malik 36; Bilawal Iqbal 4-62, Tanzeel Altaf 3-55, Qaiser Ashraf 2-53) v LAHORE RAVI.

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: PESHAWAR 213 in 54.5 overs (Azam Khan 69, Afaq Ahmed 34; Zohaib Shera 5-55, Rajesh Ramesh 3-64); KARACHI BLUES 46-4 in 15 overs.

At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad: BAHAWALPUR 235-3 in 77 overs (Faisal Mubashir 91 not out, Rehan Rafiq 90 not out) v ABBOTTABAD.

Group-II:

At National Stadium, Karachi: KARACHI WHITES 256-5 in 83 overs (Hamza Ghanchi 74, Asif Zakir 70 not out, Fazal Subhan 50, Wajid Ali 44; Nasir Awais 2-66) v HYDERABAD.

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: ISLAMABAD 194 in 70 overs (Ali Sarfraz 70, Sarmad Bhatti 39; Salman Ali 4-53, Fahim Ashraf 3-37, Naseer Akram 2-49); FAISALABAD 19-0 in 6.1 overs.

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: LAHORE SHALIMAR 340-5 in 76 overs (Umar Siddique 143 not out, Agha Salman 141; Gohar Faiz 3-57) v QUETTA.