LAHORE: Test fast bowler Mohammad Abbas picked up his 51st career five-fer as Lahore bowled Multan out for 164 and then finished the opening day’s play of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fifth-round match at 121 for four at the Marghzar Cricket Ground on Thursday.

Abbas justified captain Saad Naseem’s decision to bowl first when he returned figures of 15.4-5-32-5, while all-rounder Aamir Jamal bagged three for 58. Multan was tottering at 70 for six before Arafat Minhas scored 45 and Bismillah Khan 32, adding 56 runs for the eighth wicket.

In reply, opener Ali Zaryab Asif was not out on 51, while Qasim Akram was 26 not out, helping Lahore recover from 76 for four to 121 for four at close. Multan’s Mohammad Shan took two for 20, while Kashif Ali and Mohammad Ismail shared one wicket apiece.

KARACHI V BAHAWALPUR

Fifteen wickets fell at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar when Karachi, put into bat, slipped from 130 for one to 217 all out before hitting back to reduce Bahawalpur to 55 for five at stumps.

Karachi’s Saad Baig and Omair Bin Yousuf struck half-centuries and stitched a 125-run second-wicket partnership. But when Saad returned to the hut after scoring a polished 73 off 127 balls with 11 fours, Karachi lost their remaining wickets for the addition of just 87 runs.

After Omair was the seventh batter dismissed at 152, having scored 70 off 120 balls with eight fours and a six, Karachi’s blushes were saved by fast bowler Saqib Khan, who struck a 33-ball 40 with five fours and a six.

Bahawalpur’s left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Azab was the destroyer-in-chief, finishing with impressive figures of 15-0-70-5. He was well supported by Gulfam Aziz (2 for 33) and Zaman Khan (2 for 52).

In reply, Bahawalpur collapsed to 31 for six before ending the day at 55 for five, with Saad Khan holding the innings together with 32 not out. Fast bowler Mohammad Hamza claimed two wickets, while Mohammad Umar and Saqib Khan picked up one apiece.

SIALKOT V ABBOTTABAD

Azan Awais scored his second century of the tournament and eighth of his career, while Test opener Abdullah Shafique hit a half-century as Sialkot finished the opening day comfortably placed at 322 for four against Abbottabad at the Diamond Cricket Ground.

Azan made 123 off 194 balls with 13 fours and added 116 runs for the second wicket with Abdullah, who scored 62 off 103 balls with nine fours and a six.

When play ended, Mohsin Riaz was batting on 48, and Afzal Manzoor on 37. The two had put on 66 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket.

ISLAMABAD V FATA

Sarmad Bhatti stroked his 11th career century and wicketkeeper-batter Rohail Nazir was four runs away from his sixth as Islamabad made full use of winning the toss and batting first, finishing day one at 326 for four against FATA at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Sarmad was 107 not out, and Rohail 96 not out, adding 215 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket after Islamabad had slipped to 111 for four. Sarmad’s 107 came off 186 balls with 20 fours, while Rohail struck 15 fours in his 147-ball 96.

For FATA, left-arm fast bowler Akif Javed claimed two wickets for 98 runs.

FAISALABAD V PESHAWAR

Table-toppers Peshawar maintained their impressive run in the tournament when they were dismissed shortly before stumps for 320 after being sent into bat by Faisalabad at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium.

White-ball specialist Iftikhar Ahmed hit a gutsy 131 — his 16th career century — and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris scored 88 after Peshawar had slumped to 29 for four. The two batters added 199 runs for the fifth wicket. In the lower order, Niaz Khan contributed 34, and Najab Khan made 21.

Iftikhar’s 131 came off 209 balls and included 19 fours and a six, while Haris hit 11 fours and three sixes in his 111-ball innings.

For Faisalabad, wickets were evenly shared — Khurram Shahzad 3 for 90, Sardar Hassan Raza two for 43, Jahandad Khan two for 56, and Ahmad Safi Abdullah two for 57.

Faisalabad will begin their first innings on Friday morning.

Scores in brief (fifth round, day 1 of 4):

Sialkot v Abbottabad, Diamond Cricket Ground. Toss: Abbottabad

Sialkot 322-4, 83.2 overs (Azan Awais 123, Abdullah Shafique 62, Mohsin Riaz 48 not out, Afzal Manzoor 37 not out; Shahnawaz Dahani 2-75) v Abbottabad

Peshawar v Faisalabad, Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium. Toss Faisalabad

PESHAWAR 320 all-out, 84.1 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 131, Mohammad Haris 88, Niaz Khan 34, Khurram Shahzad 3-90, Sardar Hassan Raza 2-43, Jahandad Khan 2-56, Ahmad Safi Abdullah 2-57) v Faisalabad.

Karachi v Bahawalpur, Imran Khan Cricket Stadium. Toss: Bahawalpur

KARACHI 217 all-out, 56.3 overs (Saad Biag 73, Omair Bin Yousuf 70, Saqib Khan 40; Mohammad Azab 5-70, Zaman Khan 2-52, Gulfam Aziz 2-33)

BAHAWALPUR 55-5, 18 overs (Saad Khan 32 not out; Mohammad Hamza 2-21)

Islamabad v FATA, Abbottabad Cricket Stadium. Toss: Islamabad

ISLAMABAD 326-4, 78 overs (Sarmad Bhatti 107 not out, Rohail Nazir 96 not out, Umar Riaz 34; Akif Javed 2-98) v FATA

Lahore v Multan, Marghzar Cricket Ground. Toss: Lahore

Multan 164 all-out, 43.4 overs (Arafat Minhas 45, Bismillah Khan 32, Imran Butt 30; Mohammad Abbas 5-32, Aamir Jamal 3-58)

Lahore 121-4, 32 overs (Ali Zaryab Asif 51 not out, Junaid Ali 26, Qasim Akram 25 not out)