Lahore, 11 November 2021: Balochistan’s Imam-ul-Haq scored his first-class career’s best score of 202 not out against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium on day two of the fifth round of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2021-22.
The left-handed batter added 92 runs to his overnight score, which propelled Balochistan to 463 for five in 137.5 overs before Imran Butt, who had made 140 yesterday, declared the innings.
This was Imam’s second double-century in the format as he bested his unbeaten 200. Imam smashed 16 fours and four sixes in his 390-ball innings and added 172 runs for the third wicket with Haris Sohail, who made 79 (six fours and four sixes).
Balochistan had made 329 and lost two wickets at the completion of 100 overs and, as such, gathered three batting points, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa failed to get any point.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were 35 for one in 8.4 overs before stumps were drawn. Sahibzada Farhan (24 not out) and Musadiq Ahmed (10 not out) will resume the innings for 2020-21 edition’s joint-winners on Friday.
At the Mulan Cricket Stadium, Yousuf Babar’s brilliant maiden century and Azam Khan’s 96-ball 70 helped Southern Punjab stage a recovery and lift them to 346 for seven at the close of play. Southern Punjab had begun the day at 77 for three.
Yousuf made 116 not out off 204, hitting 16 fours. He partnered with Azam for 114 runs for the fifth wicket. The solid stand between the two added three batting points to Southern Punjab’s tally after they accumulated six bowling points yesterday.
The partnership ended with Azam’s wicket. The wicketkeeper-batter was removed by pacer Aamir Jamal, who also accounted for Zain Abbas and Muhammad Imran.
Scores in brief:
Balochistan elect to bat against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after winning the toss at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
Balochistan 463-5, 137.5 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 202 not out, Imran Butt 140, Haris Sohail 79; Asif Afridi 2-139)
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 35-1, 8.4 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 24 not out, Musadiq Ahmed 10 not out)
Innings Points – Balochistan 3, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 0
Toss Uncontested – Southern Punjab choose to field against Northern at Multan Cricket Stadium
Northern 163 all out, 56.1 overs (Nasir Nawaz 58, Umar Amin 29, Umar Waheed 21; Ali Usman 3-39, Mohammad Abbas 2-32, Zia-ul-Haq 2-32, Mohammad Ilyas 2-41)
Southern Punjab 346-7, 89 overs (Yousuf Babar 116 not out, Azam Khan 70, Imran Rafiq 34, Ali Usman 31 not out, Zia ul Haq 23, Tayyab Tahir 22; Aamir Jamal 3-92, Musa Khan 2-74)
Innings Points – Northern 3, Southern Punjab 9
