KP seize control after Central Punjab lose ground

Published January 3, 2021
SPINNER Sajid Khan goes airborne to celebrate with his Khyber Pakhtunkhwa team-mates after dismissing Central Punjab’s Mohammad Saad during the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final at the National Stadium on Saturday.—Courtesy PCB
SPINNER Sajid Khan goes airborne to celebrate with his Khyber Pakhtunkhwa team-mates after dismissing Central Punjab’s Mohammad Saad during the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final at the National Stadium on Saturday.—Courtesy PCB

KARACHI: In a replica of opening day’s action in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final here at the National Stadium, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had defending champions Central Punjab on the run with late strikes on Saturday.

Replying to 300 posted by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in their first innings, Central Punjab were poised to build a sizeable score when they had advanced to 185-4 in the final session. But the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bowlers bounced back with a vengeance to claim four wickets for the addition of just 22 runs.

At draw of stumps, Central Punjab were behind in their bid to retain the title as they limped to 212-8, while still needing 88 runs to draw level with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s total. However with teenage all-rounder Qasim Akram holding the fort with 35 from 73 balls after spending just over two hours in the middle, the champions are in with a chance to garner another 30 to 40 runs on the third morning.

But with the second new ball available after another 4.5 overs, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would surely opt to take it instantly and provide Irfanullah Shah a golden opportunity of claiming a five-for after the young seamer had been chiefly responsible for putting them in control.

Resuming at their overnight total of 285-7 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s hopes of putting up a score in the range of 350 swiftly vanished with departure of their last recognized batsman Zohaib Khan, who could add just a single to his Friday’s score of 29 when he flashed at a harmless delivery from Central Punjab captain Hasan Ali but only edged a simple catch for wicket-keeper Ali Shan.

Hasan also dismissed Arshad Iqbal to finish with 4-62 despite being troubled by run-up that saw the Pakistan paceman to bowl as many as 11 no-balls in the innings. His new-ball partner Waqas Maqsood sent back Sameen Gul, who provided the brilliant Ali Shan his fifth catch, following his three excellent catches on Friday.

Irfanullah then made early inroads by dismissing openers, Mohammad Akhlaq (4) and Ali Zaryab (8), with just 12 runs on the board before Usman Salahuddin and Mohammad Saad repaired the damage somewhat with a third-wicket partnership of 64 on either side of the lunch interval.

But Saad threw away his wicket unnecessarily when a wild attempt to slog sweep resulted in a top-edge which was gleefully accepted by wicket-keeper Rehan Afridi, who too had a fine day with five catches.

Usman (60 off 130 balls, nine boundaries) and Saad Nasim (55 off 109, four fours and three sixes) were the major run-getters while adding 48 for the fourth wicket before Saad and Qasim joined hands to share another good stand of 61.

Saad was cleaned up by Arshad while Irfanullah came back to add the scalps of Ali Shan (9) and Hasan (1) before ending the day with figures of 4-45 in 16.1 overs. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa skipper Khalid Usman also made his presence felt with the key wicket of Usman as well as Bilawal Iqbal.

Scoreboard

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA (1st Innings, overnight 285-7):

Fakhar Zaman c Ali Shan b Waqas 17

Israrullah c Ali Shan b Qasim 61

Rehan Afridi b Waqas 3

Kamran Ghulam c Ali Shan b Ahmed 76

Adil Amin b Hasan 75

Zohaib Khan c Ali Shan b Hasan 30

Khalid Usman lbw b Bilawal 3

Sajid Khan c Qasim b Akram 6

Sameen Gul c Ali Shan b Waqas 9

Arshad Iqbal c Usman b Hasan 2

Irfanullah Shah not out 0

EXTRAS (B-4, NB-11) 15

TOTAL (all out, 97.5 overs) 300

FALL OF WKTS: 1-31, 2-43, 3-95, 4-227, 5-266, 6-278, 7-285, 8-289, 9-300.

BOWLING: Waqas Maqsood 21-7-59-3 (2nb); Hasan Ali 23.5-7-62-4 (11nb); Bilawal Iqbal

18-8-61-1; Qasim Akram 17-1-55-1; Ahmed Safi Abdullah 14-2-53-1 (1nb); Mohammad Saad 4-2-6-0.

CENTRAL PUNJAB (1st Innings):

Mohammad Akhlaq c Rehan b Irfanullah 4

Ali Zaryab c Kamran b Irfanullah 8

Usman Salahuddin c Rehan b Khalid 60

Mohammad Saad c Rehan b Sajid 26

Saad Nasim b Arshad 55

Qasim Akram not out 35

Ali Shan b Irfanullah 9

Bilawal Iqbal c Rehan b Khalid 1

Hasan Ali c Rehan b Irfanullah 1

Ahmed Safi Abdullah not out 0

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-8, NB-4) 13

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 75.1 overs) 212

FALL OF WKTS: 1-8, 2-12, 3-76, 4-124, 5-185, 6-205, 7-206, 8-207.

TO BAT: Waqas Maqsood.

BOWLING (to-date): Irfanullah Shah 16.1-4-45-4; Sameen Gul 15-6-33-0 (2nb); Arshad Iqbal

16-2-53-1 (2nb); Sajid Khan 14-2-43-1; Khalid Usman 13-3-29-2; Fakhar Zaman 1-1-0-0.

Published in Dawn, Jannuary 3rd, 2021

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