ABBOTABAD: Sialkot got off to a decent start in their Quaid-e-Azam Trophy triangular stage match against Peshawar at the Abbotabad Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Thanks, to Test pacer Mohammad Ali’s 4-35, Sialkot bundled out Peshawar for 171 before posting 74 without loss.

After Peshawar opted to bat first, only Ubaidullah managed to offer some resistance with the bat as he played a 35-run innings off 44 deliveries as wickets tumbled regularly.

Peshawar had lost half their side for 93 runs before the last five wickets added 78 runs combined.

Ali was backed up by former Pakistan U-19 pacer Awais Ali who also snapped four wickets for 73 runs in 15 overs. Shoaib Akhtar picked up two wickets.

In turn, Sialkot’s opening batters, Azan Awais (38 not out off 63, six fours) and Ashir Mehmood (31 not out off 61, five fours) put on unbeaten 74 runs in 20.3 overs when the stumps were drawn early due to bad light.

Sialkot will begin the second day with a 97-run first-innings deficit.

Scores in brief:

PESHAWAR 171 in 46.1 overs (Ubaidullah

35, Zubair Khan 23; Mohammad Ali 4-35, Awais Ali 4-73); SIALKOT 74-0 in 20.3 overs (Azan Awais 38 not out, Ashir Mehmood 31 not out).

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2024