QEAT Final: Karachi on top against Sialkot

Karachi Blues fast bowlers starred with the ball before Sialkot ended the second day of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final on 235 for six in 61 overs here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday.

Hamza Nazar and Hasan Ali remained unbeaten at stumps with 62 and 29 runs respectively, with Sialkot still trailing by 105 runs and four wickets in hand.

Karachi inflicted a poor start on Sialkot, removing both openers inside the first five overs. The prolific run-scorer this season, Azan Awais, was caught after managing just two, whereas Saqib Khan trapped Muhammad Hurraira for nine.

As a result, the defending champions were reduced to 13-2.

Following the early hiccup, Abdullah Shafique and Abdul Rehman tried to stabilize the innings, adding a 46-run partnership which brought the total to 59.

The stand eventually culminated with Rehman’s wicket in the 19th over, caught by Rameez Aziz off Mohammad Umar’s bowling for 14.

Sialkot troubles deepened when Shafique was run out after managing 32 from 56 with the aid of three fours. At this stage, the scorecard read 73-4 in 23.5 overs.

With Sialkot in trouble, two of their relatively inexperienced batters, Hamza Nazar and Mohsin Riaz, steadied the innings with a 95-run partnership.

The duo took their side out of the trouble and notched up half-centuries, which brought the total above the 150-run mark. However, Sialkot followed a similar pattern of losing wickets in clusters as Karachi hit back with quick wickets.

Riaz was castled by Umar after a well-made 71 off 85 balls peppered with 1`1 fours and a six, followed by the dismissal of the wicket-keeper Afzal Manzoor for a 14-ball duck.

Consequently, Sialkot were 170-6 in 49.4 overs before Nazar crafted a much-needed 65-run partnership with Hasan Ali to end the day on a positive note.

For Karachi Blues, the fast bowling trio consisting of Saqib Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed, and Mohammad Umar starred with the ball, sharing five wickets between them.

Earlier, Sialkot pacer Mohammad Ali took a four-wicket haul to bundle out Karachi Blues for 340 in their first innings.

Karachi started from their overnight score of 285-6; however, Mohammad Ali and Hasan Ali combined to tear through the lower middle-order, limiting Karachi to a big first-innings total.

Usman Khan departed after making 82 from 115 balls, whereas Saqib Khan chipped in with a crucial 33 off 26 balls, laced with three fours and a six.