LAHORE: The Hanif Mohammad Trophy concluded with Fata, Karachi Blues, Faisalabad and Multan qualifying for the premier first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

Alongside group winners Faisalabad and FATA, the two next-best teams across both groups, Karachi Blues and Multan, also progressed.

In Group A, Faisalabad secured top spot (87) after their final match against Hyderabad ended in a draw at the Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur. Chasing a mammoth target of 362, Hyderabad, resuming from their overnight score of 5-0, batted through the final day, finishing at 238-8 to deny Faisalabad victory. Despite being reduced to 75-3 and later 140-5, Hyderabad’s middle order staged a resilient rearguard action. Daniyal Hussain Rajput top-scored with 47, supported by Nehal Qureshi (39), Mohammad Suleman (25 not out), Noman Khan (20) and Jawad Ali (15 not out).

For Faisalabad, bowlers Ahmed Safi Abdullah and Asad Raza claimed three wickets each.

Meanwhile, at the Abbasia Sports Complex in Rahim Yar Khan, Lahore Blues secured a 188-run victory over Quetta. Despite conceding a first-innings lead after Quetta posted 552, Lahore Blues set a target of 281. Quetta were then dismissed for a mere 92, with Lahore Blues’ captain Qasim Akram delivering all-round performance.

After scoring an unbeaten 77 from 42 balls in his team’s second-innings declaration of 382-5, which also featured a century from Imran Butt (112) and half-centuries from Mohammad Mohsin (73) and Umar Siddiq (55), Qasim decimated the Quetta batting lineup, taking 7-54 with his bowling.

In another Group A fixture, Karachi Whites defeated Azad Jammu and Kashmir by six wickets at the Multan Cricket Stadium, chasing a modest target of 46.

In Group B, Multan sealed their qualification with 86 points after a comprehensive 10-wicket win over Larkana at the National Bank Stadium.

Having begun the final day on 121-5, Larkana were bowled out for 204, setting a target of just 20.

Multan’s Mohammad Ismail was the chief destroyer, taking 5 for 77, while Faisal Akram supported with three wickets. Multan reached the target without loss.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2025