Jamal’s six-for gives Lahore Blues massive lead over Karachi Whites

BAHAWALPUR: All-rounder Aamir Jamal registered a six-wicket haul to help Lahore Blues acquire a massive lead over Karachi Whites on the second day of the fourth round of the Hanif Mohammad Trophy here at the Dring Stadium on Wednesday.

Karachi Whites resumed their response to Lahore Blues’ 297 all out and were dismantled by Jamal-led bowling attack, managing to accumulate just 94 before being bowled out in 32.1 overs.

Middle-order batter Abdul Basit remained the top-scorer with a 34-ball 19, while wicketkeeper batter Saifullah Bangash was the next-best run-getter with 14.

Jamal led Lahore Blues’ bowling charge with six wickets for just 35 runs and was supported by Qasim Akram and Abubakar, who bagged two each.

With a 203-run lead in their favour, half-centuries from Imran Butt and Umar Siddiq bolstered the advantage to 408 runs as Lahore Blues had reached 205/3 at stumps on a dominant day two.

Siddiq fell victim to Mohammad Taha after scoring 63, while captain Butt remained top-scorer with an unbeaten 93 off 168 deliveries and will now resume their second innings with Mohammad Mohsin (eight not out) on the penultimate day.

For Karachi Whites, Taha picked up two wickets, while Aftab Khan chipped in with one.

In another Group A fixture, being played at the Multan Cricket Stadium, middle-order batter Abdul Samad’s third consecutive century steered Faisalabad to a 184-run lead over Quetta with three wickets still in hand.

Samad smashed 12 fours and two sixes on his way to a 165-ball 127, while Muhammad Awais Zafar (90) and Atiq-ur-Rehman (58) supported valiantly with brisk half-centuries as Faisalabad finished the second day at 371/7.

Wicketkeeper batter Ali Shan and Shehzad Gul, unbeaten on 42 and eight, respectively, will resume Faisalabad’s first innings on the penultimate day.

For Quetta, Mohammad Ibrahim Snr and Khalil Ahmed took two wickets each, while Najeebullah Achakzai, Salahuddin and Shahbaz Khan shared three between them.

At the conclusion of the second day of the remaining Group A match, Hyderabad were trailing Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) by 123 runs with seven wickets in hand.

Earlier in the day, AJK resumed their first innings from 294/5 through Awais Akram Minhas and Nadeem Khalil, but could add 65 more to their total and were ultimately bowled out for 359 in 103.5 overs.

Minhas could add one more to his overnight score of 61, while Khalil went on to score 74 off 143 deliveries with the help of 10 fours and two sixes.

For Hyderabad, Mohammad Hasnain, Jawad Ali and Asad Malik bagged three wickets each, while Noman Khan made one scalp.

In response, Hyderabad reached 236/3 in 72 overs until the conclusion of the second day’s play, courtesy of half-centuries from skipper Mohammad Suleman and top-order batters Zain-ul-Abidin and Saad Khan.

Zain remained the top-scorer with 85 off 209 deliveries, while Saad made a run-a-ball 59 with the help of 10 fours and a six.

Meanwhile, skipper Suleman was unbeaten on 66 and will resume Hyderabad’s response on the penultimate day with wicketkeeper batter Rizwan Mehmood (three not out).

Captain Hasan Raza led AJK’s bowling charge on the second day with two wickets, while Aqib Liaqat struck one.

On the second day of the Group B match of the fourth round of the Hanif Mohammad Trophy, underway at the SBP Sports Complex in Karachi, Larkana was made to follow on by home side Karachi Blues.

At the stumps on day two, Larkana were 25/3 in their second innings, still trailing by 229 runs. Opening batter Malhar Rasool and Faraz Aziz, unbeaten on 14 and one respectively, will resume their batting expedition on the penultimate day as they look to avoid the innings defeat.

Earlier in the day, Karachi Blues resumed their first innings from 140/4 and added 195 more to their total to finish at 335 all out in 63.3 overs, courtesy of middle-order batter Rameez Aziz’s century.

Aziz remained the top-scorer for the home side with 150 off 130 deliveries, studded with nine sixes and as many fours.

Mushtaq Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers for Larkana, taking four wickets for 149 runs, while Asif Ali Chandio and Shahnawaz Dahani took two each.

In response, a collective bowling effort helped Karachi Blues to book Larkana on a meagre 81 in 21.2 overs.

Opening batter Malhar offered notable resistance against a ruthless Karachi Blues’ bowling attack with a gutsy 36 off 63 deliveries.

Fahad Amin was the standout bowler for Karachi Blues, taking three wickets for just 14 runs in five overs, while Mohammad Hamza, Saqib Khan and Mir Hamza claimed two each.

At the National Bank Stadium, a collective bowling effort, followed by opening batter Abdul Faseeh’s unbeaten century, powered Rawalpindi to a first-innings 122-run lead over Dera Murad Jamali on the second day of their fourth-round Hanif Mohammad Trophy match.

At the stumps on day two, Rawalpindi were 242/4 with Abdul Faseeh and Aqib Shah unbeaten on 120 and 70, respectively.

Dera Murad Jamali's captain, Fahad Hussain, led the bowling charge with three wickets on the second day, while Qutabuddin made one strike.

Earlier in the day, Dera Murad Jamali resumed their first innings from 28/2 through Wicketkeeper batter Aqib Junaid and Taimur Ali, and could add 92 more to their overnight score to ultimately get bowled out for 120 in 45.4 overs.

All-rounder Mohammad Shahid remained the top-scorer with a gutsy 51 off 73 deliveries, comprising seven boundaries.

Mehran Mumtaz and Mohammad Faizan jointly led Rawalpindi’s bowling charge with three wickets each, followed by Mubasir Khan with two, while Saad Masood and Kashif Ali dismissed one Dera Murad Jamali batter apiece.

At the conclusion of the second day of the remaining Group B match, underway at the UBL Sports Complex in Karachi, Multan were trailing FATA by 124 runs with seven wickets in hand.

Earlier in the day, FATA resumed their first innings from 132/3 and added 152 more to their overnight score until getting bowled out in 90.4 overs, accumulating 284 runs.

Middle-order batter Mohammad Wasim Khan remained the top-scorer with 59 off 118 deliveries, closely followed by all-rounder Shahid Aziz, who made 57, while opening batter Mohammad Usman had scored a 96-ball 50 on the opening day.

Ali Usman starred with the ball for Multan, registering a seven-wicket haul for just 56 runs in his 28 overs, while Arafat Minhas and Mohammad Shan took one apiece.

In response, opening batter Zain Abbas’s unbeaten half-century led Multan to 160/3 in 50 overs until the conclusion of the second day’s play.

Abbas remained the top-scorer with an unbeaten 89 off 145 deliveries, laced with 10 fours and a six, and will resume Multan’s response on the penultimate day, alongside Ali Usman, who had made five not out.

For FATA, Sameen Gul, Shahid and skipper Asif Afridi took one wicket apiece.