LAHORE: The opening round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy concluded on Thursday with all four fixtures — played in Abbottabad, Islamabad, Peshawar and Rawalpindi — ending in stalemates. The next round of matches will commence on Sunday.

At the Imran Khan Stadium, Peshawar, Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Haris struck centuries as Peshawar declared their second innings at 376-5 in 102.4 overs after resuming from an overnight 154-4 against Sialkot.

Rizwan, registering his 15th first-class hundred, remained unbeaten on 123 off 203 balls with 13 fours and a six, while Haris, recording his maiden century, scored an even 100 not out from 113 deliveries, hitting 11 fours and four sixes.

In reply, Sialkot reached 156-3 in 29 overs when play concluded. Mohsin Riaz (67 off 56 balls, nine fours and two sixes) and Azan Awais (52 not out off 78 balls, four fours and a six) shared a 111-run third-wicket stand before debutant Sufyan Moqim dismissed Mohsin for maiden first first-class wicket.

At the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Bahawalpur’s Moha­mmad Imran ran through Abbottabad’s batting line-up, claiming 5-26 in 14 overs to dismiss the hosts for 166 after they had resumed on 23-0. Mohammad Azam took three wickets.

Following on after conceding a 233-run first-innings deficit, Abbottabad reached 155-3 in 43 overs when the match ended. Skipper Fakhar Zaman struck 61 off 79 balls (four fours and five sixes) while Shahzaib Khan made 48 off 103 (eight fours), the pair adding 80 for the second wicket.

At the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, the contest between Lahore Whites and Islamabad also ended without a result. Hussain Talat’s unbeaten 106 off 161 balls (nine fours and two sixes) guided Whites to 301 all out after resuming on 152-3.

In their second innings, Islamabad reached 158-3 in 42 overs, with Abdul Faseeh contributing 75 off 88 balls (nine fours and two sixes), before both captains agreed to a draw.

At the Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad, Bismillah Khan’s fluent 138 off 158 balls, laced with 16 fours and four sixes, helped Multan post 394 in 102.5 overs after resuming at 88-3 against Fata. The innings gave Multan a 121-run first-innings lead.

For Fata, Zahid Mehmood bagged 5-99 in 29.5 overs, while Shahid Aziz and Sameen Gul claimed two wickets each. Fata were 39-1 in nine overs when play ended.

Meanwhile, at the Marghzar Cricket Ground, Karachi Blues were 296 runs ahead of Faisalabad in their second innings when their match concluded. Blues added 173 for six to their first-innings lead of 123, with Saim Ayub top-scoring with 79 off 84 balls (nine fours and three sixes).

For Faisalabad, Ahmed Safi Abdullah took 4-31 in 11 overs, finishing with match figures of 7-133. Earlier, Faisalabad’s opener Hasan Raza converted his overnight 73 not out into a superb 172 off 239 balls (22 fours and two sixes) as his side were dismissed for 354 in 92.4 overs. Mir Hamza and Mushtaq Ahmed took three wickets apiece for Blues.

Scores in brief:

Karachi Blues v Faisalabad at Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

KARACHI BLUES 477 in 115.3 overs (Danish Aziz 155, Haroon Arshad 101, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori 83; Faham-ul-Haq 3-59, Ahmed Safi Abdullah 3-102) and 173-6 in 40 overs (Saim Ayub 79, Saad Baig 26; Ahmed Safi Abdullah 4-31); FAISALABAD 384-9 in 92.4 overs (Hasan Raza 172, Mohammad Irfan Khan 78, Ahmed Safi Abdullah 22; Mushtaq Ahmed 3-88, Mir Hamza 3-103)

Abbottabad v Bahawalpur at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad

BAHAWALPUR 399 all out in 95.3 overs (Mohammad Ammar 105, Mohammad Imran 66; Israr Hussain 3-78, Shahnawaz Dahani 3-86); ABBOTTABAD 166 all out in 44.3 overs (Mohammad Suleman 41, Fakhar Zaman 38; Mohammad Imran 5-26, Mohammad Azab 3-43) and f/o 155-3 in 43 overs (Fakhar Zaman 61, Shahzaib Khan 48, Yasir Khan 23)

Fata v Multan at Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad

FATA 273 in 92.4 overs (Mohammad Sarwar Afridi 80, Haseebullah 63; Aamer Yamin 5-48) and 39-1 in nine overs (Mohammad Naeem 25 not out); MULTAN 394 all out in 102.5 overs (Bismillah Khan 138, Sharoon Siraj 61; Zahid Mehmood 5-99, Shahid Aziz 2-64)

Lahore Whites v Islamabad at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

ISLAMABAD 256 in 76.4 overs (Shamyl Hussain 86, Musa Khan 35; Naseem Shah 5-34, Ubaid Shah 2-56) and 158-3 in 42 overs (Abdul Faseeh 75, Faizan Riaz 30 not out); LAHORE WHITES 301 all out in 71.4 overs (Hussain Talat 106 not out, Salman Ali Agha 47; Nusratullah 3-71)

Peshawar v Sialkot at Imran Khan Stadium, Peshawar

PESHAWAR 376-5 declared in 102.4 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 123 not out, Mohammad Haris 100 not out; Amad Butt 2-77)

SIALKOT 156-3 in 29 overs (Mohsin Riaz 67, Azan Awais 52 not out; Abuzar 2-14).

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2025