LAHORE: Karachi Whites couldn’t build on the momentum they got on the first day losing eight wickets for just 145 runs but their pacers did well as they held upper hand against Faisalabad Region during the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Monday.
Karachi Whites were dismissed for 543 after resuming the second day at a commanding 398-2 and then reduced Faisalabad to 76-4 at the close.
Faisalabad opener Taimoor Sultan was removed for a seven-ball duck by Shahnawaz Dahani as Ghazi Ghouri took a spectacular catch, diving towards his right at third slip.
Mohammad Hurraira (17) and Ali Waqas (27) stitched a 34-run partnership but Mir Hamza broke the stand as he cleaned up Hurraira on a delivery that straightened up before hitting the off-stump.
Hamza than trapped Ali plumb in front and left Faisalabad reeling at 52-3 after 17 overs. Asif Ali was the next to follow after making just three when he was caught behind off the bowling of fast bowler Ghulam Mudassar.
Irfan Khan was unbeaten on 12 while wicketkeeper-batter Ali Shan (nine) was on the other end before the bails were removed for the day.
Earlier, Faisalabad didn’t take long to break through as skipper Faheem Ashraf castled Omair Bin Yousuf (six) before Saim Ayub, who started the day at 200, added just three more runs before being caught by wicket-keeper Ali off the bowling of Khurram Shahzad.
Ghazi (five) was the next to follow as he pulled Khurram towards Arshad Iqbal at fine leg.
Veteran Asad Shafiq made 25 off 47 but couldn’t guide the ball strongly enough towards cover as he was caught by Hurraira on a short delivery by Arshad.
Captain Sarfraz Ahmed then made a fighting 45 off 67 balls and tailender Hamza made a quickfire 33 studded with six fours and one maximum off 38 balls to lift the total above 500.
Pacer Mohammad Ali took three wickets including scalps of Sarfraz, Hamza and Dahani (10). Khurram and Arshad also returned with three wickets apiece.
SCOREBOARD
KARACHI WHITES (1st Innings, overnight 398-2):
Khurram Manzoor lbw b Khurram 3
Saim Ayub c Ali b Khurram 203
Shan Masood b Arshad 180
Omair Bin Yousuf b Faheem 6
Asad Shafiq c Hurraira b Arshad 25
Ghazi Ghouri c Arshad b Khurram 5
Sarfraz Ahmed c Ali b M. Ali 45
Noman Ali c Faheem b Arshad 9
Mir Hamza c Asif b M. Ali 33
Shahnawaz Dahani c Ali b M. Ali 10
Ghulam Mudassar not out 4
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-9, NB-2, W-5) 20
TOTAL (all out, 120.2 overs) 543
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-15 (Khurram), 2-382 (Shan), 3-405 (Omair), 4-405 (Saim), 5-427 (Ghazi), 6-442 (Asad), 7-470 (Noman), 8-496 (Sarfraz), 9-533 (Hamza)
BOWLING: Khurram 31-4-120-3 (1nb), Faheem 23-5-74-1 (3w), M. Ali 14.2-2-63-3 (1nb), Arshad 25-4-94-3, Asif 2-0-15-0, Asfand 20-0-132-0, Taimoor 5-0-32-0 (1w)
FAISALABAD REGION (1st Innings):
Muhammad Hurraira b Hamza 17
Taimoor Sultan c Ghazi b Dahani 0
Ali Waqas lbw b Hamza 27
Irfan Khan not out 12
Asif Ali c Sarfaraz b Ghulam 3
Ali Shan not out 9
EXTRAS (LB-6, NB-1, W-1) 8
TOTAL (for four wickets, 26 overs) 76
STILL TO BAT: Faheem Ashraf, Khurram Shahzad, Arshad Iqbal, Mohammad Ali, Ali Asfand
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-7 (Taimoor), 2-43 (Hurraira), 3-52 (Ali), 4-62 (Asif)
BOWLING: Hamza 10-2-26-2 (1w), Dahani 9-2-20-1, Ghulam 6-1-20-1 (1nb), Noman 1-0-4-0
Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2023
