Quaid-e-Azam Trophy round three – a review of the first day
The third round of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy started off in an emphatic fashion as highly competitive cricket is being played between the top class domestic teams around the country. As expected, after the absorbing first day of cricket Bettor.com reviews
the performances of units, participating in the third leg of the tournament.
Habib Bank Limited versus Karachi Blues
Mohammad Aslam scythed through the top order of Karachi Blues to give his team the edge after the first day at the office, taking a tally of 5/30 in 20 economical overs. Aslam’s with his slow left-arm orthodox bowling broke the opening stand of 67 runs between
the HBL openers, Naveed Khan and Ramiz Raja. In the process, Raja top scored for his team with 47 runs.
The wicket kept tumbling in the middle overs. Azhar Mahmood chipped in two more wickets to back his spinner. The only other substantial scorer for Karachi was Babar Rehman with 33 runs as he guided his team to at-least, a modest total of 190 runs.
HBL started their innings in a sedate manner as they lost their first three wickets for just 52 runs. As ever, Malik Aftab was the pick of the bowlers for his team, hunting 1/17 in six incisive overs. Khaqan Arsal and Hasan Raza will start the proceedings
for HBL on the 2nd day of the third leg.
Faisalabad versus Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited
In Sargodha at the Sports Stadium, Atif Ashraf and Junaid Zia associated themselves in a 128-run partnership to ensure their team a superb first innings total of 270/6. ZTBL started off the day in slow manners as they gathered 2/47 in the first half of
their innings.
Moreover, Inam-ul-Haq with Shahid Yousuf put on 61 runs for the 3rd wicket stand as they steadied the ship of their team, but both the batsmen fell in space of 34 runs as Zia and Atif joined each other at the score of 142/5. There stand made sure
that there is no further hiccup in the innings and has put their team in a commanding positions.
For Faisalabad, it was the accurate bowling of Ahmed Hayat, which earned him the figures of 2/49 in fifteen overs. Hasan Mahmood (1), the left arm spinner bowled a mammoth spell of 32 overs, gathering just one wicket at a cost of 79 runs, but he dried up
runs at one end.
ZTBL are on a driver’s seat. Now it is up to them to dictate terms as they start their second day of the match.
Islamabad versus Water and Power Development Authority
The first day between Islamabad and WAPDA ended in a fascinating manner as bowlers from either side dominated the scene at Diamond Club Ground. In addition, it was batsmen’s nightmare fifteen wickets fell and only 275 runs were scored.
WAPDA chose to field first on a seaming track and their decision did not fire backwards as they devastated their opposition for just 140 runs. To everyone’s surprise, where every batsman found it difficult, Ameer Khan was an exception as he struck a defiant
half-century to keep his team’s hope alive.
The opening bowlers for WAPDA wreaked havoc as they hunted in pairs, taking a massive of seven wickets between them. Sarfraz Ahmed has been a constant performer for his team as he gathered brilliant figures of 4/41. Rana Naved-ul-Hassan devastated the
Islamabad batting line-up with his accurate seam and swing bowling, hunting 3/25 in eleven economical overs.
In reply, WAPDA displayed a better show as they piled up 135/5. Sohaib Maqsood was the top run scorer for his team with 33 runs.
For Islamabad, Nasrullah Khan was instrumental in bringing his team back into the game after taking hunting decent figures of 3/32.
WAPDA would look to build a substantial score on a solid foundation laid by their top order.