Asim, Irfan put Faisalabad on top in U-19 final

KARACHI: Asim Iqbal and Mohammad Irfan Khan were the standout performers at the start of the four-day final of PCB Under-19 Inter-region (three-day) competition on Saturday as Faisalabad seized full control against Karachi Blues in Mirpur.

After being put into bat by Faisalabad skipper Suleman Shafqat at the Mirpur Cricket Stadium in Azad Jammu Kashmir, Karachi Blues were blown away by the pace of Asim for a paltry total of 104 in 27.1 overs.

Asim ripped through the Karachi top-order to leave them in tatters at 27-6 before Saif Ali (33 off 58 balls, six boundaries) and Anas Ilyas (25 off 28, two fours and one six) shared a defiant seventh-wicket partnership of 49.

Nasir Shah was only other Karachi batsmen to reach doubles with a 29-ball 16.

Asim finished with seven for 39 in 10 overs before Irfan dominated the later part of the day with an unbeaten knock of 107 as Faisalabad collected 237-3 in 64 overs before close of play.

After opener Zohaib Amanat (58 off 132 balls, seven fours) and Mohammad Awais Zafar (27) had put on 70 for the second wicket, Irfan arrived to strike six fours and a brace of sixes during his 120-ball knock.

Ahmed Butt (39 off 65 balls, five boundaries) was Irfan’s partner in an unfinished stand of 109 when play ended on day one.

Scoreboard

KARACHI BLUES (1st Innings):

Mohammad Nafay lbw b Asim 0

Mohammad Mustafa c A. Haider b Mishal 0

Taha Mahmood b Asim 2

Ali Nasim b Asim 5

Ghazi Nasir c Irfan b Asim 5

Obaisullah Khan c and b Asim 5

Saif Ali c Saif b Asim 33

Anas Ilyas c A. Haider b A. Mustafa 25

Haris Bin Tahir c A. Haider b Asim 16

Nadir Shah b Suleman 5

Tariq Khan not out 0

EXTRAS (B-1, W-4, NB-3) 8

TOTAL (all out, 27.1 overs) 108

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-2, 3-3, 4-10, 5-15, 6-27, 7-76, 8-99, 9-104.

BOWLING: Asim Iqbal 10-1-39-7 (2nb, 1w); Mishal Khan 6-0-28-1 (1nb, 1w); Mohammad Bilal Javed 2-0-15-0; Ali Mustafa 4-1-11-1 (1w); Suleman Shafqat 5.1-2-10-1.

FAISALABAD (1st Innings):

Zohaib Amanat c Haris b Nadir 58

Saif Ali c and b Ghazi 1

M. Awais Zafar c Mustafa b Nadir 27

M. Irfan Khan not out 107

Ahmed Butt not out 39

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-3) 5

TOTAL (for three wkts, 64 overs) 237

FALL OF WKTS: 1-7, 2-77, 3-128.

TO BAT: Ali Haider, Mishal Khan, Suleman Shafqat, Mohammad Bilal Javed, Asim Iqbal, Ali Mustafa.

BOWLING (to-date): Mohammad Mustafa

7-0-31-0 (2w); Ghazi Nasir 4-0-17-1; Tariq Khan 26-2-85-0; Nadir Shah 18-2-63-2; Ali Nasim 5-1-25-0; Mohammad Nafay 4-0-14-0.