Northern put Southern Punjab in difficult situation at end of day 3

• Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2022–23 opening match at the Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad.
• Northern put Southern Punjab in difficult situation at end of day 3.
• Southern Punjab could only score 269 runs in 86.2 innings after Northern recorded a massive 529 runs.

In the third day of their Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2022–23 opening match at the Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad, Northern Punjab put Southern Punjab in a difficult position by reducing them to 142-2 after enforcing a follow.

Southern Punjab could only score 269 runs in 86.2 innings after Northern recorded a massive 529 runs. The only hitter who could do well for his side was the opener, Zain Abbas. In 229 balls, Zain scored 120 runs, including 15 fours and a six.

Zain Abbas scores his sixth first-class century 🙌#NORvSP | #QeAT pic.twitter.com/tjt91vD36N

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 29, 2022

Usman Salahuddin and Imran Rafiq will continue Southern Punjab’s second innings at 143 for two after scoring unbeaten scores of 40 and 34, respectively.

Umar Siddiq (35) and Zain (32) of South Punjab were sent back to the pavilion by all-rounder Mubasir Khan, who scored 170 runs in 236 balls.

After bowling out Southern Punjab in 100 overs, Northern has now amassed nine points (five points for crossing the 400-run barrier in 100 overs batting first, three for taking eight or more wickets, and one for bowling out an opposition under 300).

At the end of day three, Abdullah Shafique and Tayyab Tahir strongly position Central Punjab.

Abdullah Shafique and Tayyab Tahir, the opening pair for the Pakistan Test team, scored half-centuries against Sindh at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, giving Central Punjab a commanding lead.

To help his team achieve 428 runs in the first innings, Shafique scored 232 runs in the first inning. Aamer Yamin added 70 runs of his own.

Fawad Alam, a seasoned Test batsman for the country, came back with a valiant effort, scoring his 42nd first-class century and returning unbeaten on 127 as Sindh totaled 368 all out in response to Central Punjab’s 428.

4️⃣2️⃣nd first-class century for @iamfawadalam25 💪#CPvSINDH | #QeAT pic.twitter.com/g3NIz9pgwm

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 29, 2022

In addition to Fawad’s outstanding performance, young batter Saim Ayub and former Pakistani captain Sarfaraz Ahmed also scored 71 and 78 runs, respectively. Aamir Yamin took three wickets, while Mohammad Ali claimed four.

Tayyab Tahir scored 72 and 61 runs, respectively, to increase Central Punjab’s advantage to 230 runs after bowling out Sindh.

In the second innings, Asif Mehmood secured three wickets for Sindh. Against Balochistan, a bowler helps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reenter the match.

After a poor batting display against Balochistan at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, the bowlers helped Khyber Pakhtunkhwa pull back in the game.

Before bowling out Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for 291 runs in 85.4 overs, Balochistan scored a staggering 473 runs.

The Balochistan hitters’ all-around effort enabled their team to reach 473. Azeem Ghumman, Abdul Bangalzai, Ali Waqas, Haseebullah Khan, and Kashif Bhatti are the five batters who each scored a half-century.

Unbeaten overnight, Kamran Ghulam hit 102 off 171 while Khalid Usman, the captain of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, made 43 off 87 to rally his team. But it wasn’t enough to cover the large sum.

Balochistan’s Khurram Shehzad took four wickets, while Kashif Bhatti and Akif Javed each took two.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s bowlers then excelled to assist their team get back in the game as they reduced Balochistan to 107-4 at the end of day three. This was in Balochistan’s second innings.

Balochistan finished the day with a score of 107 for four, giving them a commanding 289-run advantage. Ali Waqas batted at 27, and Hussain Talat batted at 12.