LAHORE: Karachi Blues closed the opening day of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final on 285 for six in 71.1 overs against Sialkot at the Gaddafi Stadium on Monday.

Sialkot’s seasoned pace trio of Mohammad Hasnain, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Ali shared five of the six wickets to fall, sending down 55 overs between them on a day that largely belonged to Karachi’s middle order.

Abdullah Fazal, who missed his second first-class century by 12 runs, and Usman Khan, unbeaten on a fluent 80 (10 fours and a six), led the recovery for Karachi Blues. The pair added 98 for the fifth wicket after Sialkot opted to bowl first.

Karachi Blues made a measured start through their left-handed opening pair, Abdullah and Saad Baig, who negotiated the new ball for 19.5 overs. Hasan Ali eventually broke the stand, trapping Saad lbw for 39 off 59 balls, an innings featuring eight boundaries.

Saad, the tournament’s leading run-scorer, took his tally to 969 runs in 18 innings. Karachi went to lunch at 94 for one but suffered an early setback in the second

session when Mohammad Ali trapped Shan Masood lbw for 13, picking up his 29th wicket of the season.

Hasnain, playing his sixth match of the tournament, then produced a sharp burst in the 35th over, striking twice in three balls to leave Karachi wobbling at 125 for four. Debut-round centurion Haroon Arshad, after a 31-run stand with Abdullah, was pinned in front, before Saud fell for a two-ball duck, edging behind.

Usman joined Abdullah in the 36th over and the pair steadied the innings, adding 98 runs in 20 overs with positive strokeplay. Abdullah, who struck 10 fours and a six in his 149-ball 88, fell in the fifth over of the final session, holing out to Mohammad Huraira at midwicket off skipper Usama Mir.

Rameez Aziz chipped in with 22 off 38 balls during a 44-run sixth-wicket partnership with Usman, before Hasan Ali claimed his second wicket of the day, inducing a leg-side catch behind.

Kashif Bhatti (11 off 25, two fours) joined Usman to negotiate the final overs, adding 18 for the unbroken seventh wicket before stumps were drawn in the 72nd over. Usman will resume on 80 on the second morning, having reached his half-century off 56 balls.

Hasnain finished the day with 2 for 70 from 15 overs, while Hasan returned 2 for 75 from 21.

Usama Mir picked up 1 for 35 in eight overs, and Mohammad Ali ended with 1 for 64 in 19.1 overs.

Scoreboard

KARACHI BLUES (1st Innings):

Saad Baig lbw b Hasan 39

Abdullah Fazal c Hurraira b Usama 88

Shan Masood lbw b Ali 13

Haroon Arshad lbw b Hasnain 15

Saud Shakeel c Manzoor b Hasnain 0

Usman Khan not out 80

Rameez Aziz c Afzal b Hasan 22

Kashif Bhatti not out 11

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-8, NB-1, W-3) 17

TOTAL (for six wickets, 71.1 overs) 285

STILL TO BAT: Saqib Khan, Mohammad Umar, Mushtaq Ahmed

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-80 (Saad), 2-94 (Shan), 3-125 (Haroon), 4-125 (Saud), 5-223 (Abdullah), 6-267 (Rameez)

BOWLING: Hasan 21-5-75-2 (1nb), Ali 19.1-2-64-1 (2w), Hasnain 15-0-70-2 (1w), Hamza 8-0-28-0, Usama 8-0-35-1

SIALKOT: Mohammad Hurraira, Azan Awais, Abdullah Shafique, Mohsin Riaz, Abdul Rehman, Hamza Nazar, Afzal Manzoor, Usama Mir, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Ali

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2025