Azhar Ali scores double century to give Central Punjab the victory

• Azhar Ali scores double century to give Central Punjab the victory.
• Tayyab Tahir finished the day with 114 after started the day at 82.
• Veteran Test player Azhar was removed after scoring 219.

Central Punjab declared their first innings with 509 for nine after beginning the day at 300 for three versus Northern in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy’s fourth round as Azhar Ali scores double century on Sunday at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

Tayyab Tahir finished the day with 114 after started the day at 82, while veteran Test player Azhar was removed after scoring 219.

20 fours and six sixes were a part of Azhar’s 323-ball innings, while 29-year-old Tayyab, who has scored 449 runs to date in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, hit six fours and six sixes in a 178-ball 114. For the fourth wicket, the two batters scored 224 runs in total. At No. 8, wicketkeeper-batsman Ali Shan hit three fours and a six in a 99-ball 55.

Mubasir Khan (two for 76), Mehran Mumtaz (three for 111), and Nauman Ali (three for 173) all shared wickets for Northern.
Northern had a score of 107 to one at the end of the game. On Monday, Mohammad Huraira (53) and Umar Amin (35) will continue Northern’s reply, which has a second wicket partnership of 86 runs.

Sindh’s enthusiastic response to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s 384 was led by Khurram Manzoor.

After adding 93 runs this morning at the Pindi Cricket Stadium to their overnight total of 291 for 5 against Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resumed their first innings and were bowled out for 384.

Mohammad Sarwar Afridi was removed after scoring 148 while playing his 14th game of the day. He had started the day at 79. His 201-ball innings contained three sixes and 20 fours.

Kamran Ghulam increased his overnight total of 89 by four runs, falling seven runs short of reaching his 11th first-class century. His 93 runs were made out of nine fours and two sixes and required 205 balls.

Three of the five wickets lost by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the second day were taken by the unidentified spinner Abrar Ahmed, who finished with statistics of 39.2-9-130-4. In three innings, the spinner with the spectacles had taken 15 wickets. The remaining two wickets were taken by fast bowler Mohammad Umar, who finished with statistics of 26-3-87-4.

Khurram Manzoor, who scored his 31st century in 191 appearances, led Sindh’s forceful and encouraging reply with a quick 130-ball 116, bringing his team to 214 for two in 51 overs at close. Khurram, who scored 16 fours, contributed 84 runs for the first wicket with Saim Ayub (42), and 113 runs for the second wicket with Saud Shakeel. On Monday, Sindh’s first innings will resume with Saud (43) and Omair Bin Yousuf (5).

Balochistan was saved by Asad Shafiq’s century.

At the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, test batsman Asad Shafiq helped Balochistan defeat ATF Southern Punjab by scoring his first century of the year and 26th overall.

Asad Shafiq had batted for 70 runs when Balochistan began the day at 225-4.

16 fours were hit by Asad in a 183-ball inning. Other noteworthy batters in the lower order included Haseebullah (33) and Khurram Shahzad (26).

Fast bowler Sameen Gul bowled well for ATF Southern Punjab and concluded with statistics of 30-8-84-5. Mohammad Imran Randhawa, who added a wicket to his haul from yesterday and finished with figures of three for 75, helped him out a lot.

When terrible lighting forced an early end of the reply, ATF Southern Punjab had reached 109 for two in 32.4 overs. On Monday, Sharoon Siraj (46) and Usman Salahuddin (32) will pick up where they left off.