LAHORE – The first round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2024-25 concluded today with two matches ending in a draw, while seven matches were result oriented.
Lahore Region Whites beat Faisalabad Region by five wickets: It took 15 overs for Lahore Region Whites to score the remaining 72 runs as they achieved the 119-run target in 24.3 overs with five wickets in hand. Tayyab Tahir (32 not out, 47b, 7x4s) and Ubaid Shah (22 not out, 21b, 1×4, 1×6) knitted an unbroken 60-run partnership for the sixth wicket after they were reduced to 62-5.
For Faisalabad, Khurram Shahzad bagged three wickets taking his match tally to eight.
Hyderabad Region beat Larkana Region by 121 runs: Jawad Ali’s four-fer, captain Kashif Bhatti’s three wickets and Bilawal Bhatti’s two scalps in the second innings helped Hyderabad beat Larkana by 121 runs. Requiring 297 to win the match, Larkana were bundled out for 175 in their second innings.
Bahawalpur Region beat Azad Jammu and Kashmir Region by three wickets: An unbroken 96-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Mohammad Sheharyar (46 not out, 115b, 5x4s) and Ali Shabbir (33 not out, 103b, 5x4s) guided Bahawalpur to a three-wicket win over AJK. Requiring 123 runs on the final day, Bahawalpur achieved the target in the 76th over.
For AJK, Faizan Saleem took six wickets and his match figures was eight for 112.
Dera Murad Jamali Region beat Lahore Region Blues by 119 runs: Abu Huraira’s five-wicket haul led Dera Murad Jamali to a 119-run win over Lahore Region Blues. Requiring 247 more to win on the final day with seven wickets in hand, Lahore Region Blues were dismissed for 200 in 55.3 overs.
Junaid Ali (60, 73b, 11x4s) and Hammad Butt (51, 79b, 6x4s) scored half-centuries in the losing cause.
Sialkot Region beat FATA Region by 10 wickets: Usama Mir’s four-fer and Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti’s three wickets helped Sialkot beat FATA by 10 wickets. Resuming their first innings at the overnight score of 478 for six, Sialkot were bowled out for 535 in 158.5 overs. Mohsin Riaz scored an unbeaten 204 off 367 balls, which included 24 fours and three sixes.
Commencing their second innings with a deficit of 144 runs, FATA were dismissed for 156 in 50.3 overs setting Sialkot a 13-run target which they achieved in the third over without losing any wicket.
Islamabad Region beat Abbottabad Region by 326 runs: Islamabad Region 117 all out, 41.3 overs (Hasan Nawaz 29; Adil Naz 5-33, Israr Hussain 2-48) & 419-7 (dec), 106 overs (Faizan Riaz 156, Sarmad Bhatti 135, Rizwan Ali 40 not out; Israr Hussain 3-104, Aqib Khan 2-70, Ahmed Khan 2-77)
Abbottabad Region 100 all out, 39.3 overs (Adil Naz 21; Nusratullah 6-14, Shayan Shaikh 3-19) and 110 all out, 40.4 overs (Khayam Khan 30; Musa Khan 5-21, Arsal Sheikh 2-26)
Karachi Region Blues beat Quetta Region by nine wickets: Quetta 147 all out, 49.3 overs (Shahbaz Khan 47 not out; Tabish Khan 4-55, Aftab Khan 3-33, Fahad Amin 3-37) & 115 all out, 39.2 overs (Kamran Khan 29, Yasir Khan 26; Aftab Khan 6-42, Tabish Khan 2-36)
Karachi Region Blues 60 all out, 26.5 overs (Saifullah Bangash 19; Najeebullah Achakzai 6-13, Mohammad Idrees 3-9) & 206-1, 69 overs (Khawaja Mohammad Nafay 103 not out, Abdullah Fazal 82 not out)
Multan Region vs Rawalpindi Region and Peshawar Region vs Karachi Region Whites matches were drawn.
