LAHORE: Ahmed Afaq Afridi took a five-for, while Atiqur Rehman and Asim Ali Nasir added 108 runs for the third wicket to help Faisalabad stun front-runners Peshawar by seven wickets on the final day of the fifth-round Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Ahmed Afaq returned impressive figures of 22-5-55-5 as Peshawar, resuming Sunday morning at 170 for six and leading overall by 106 runs, were dismissed for 227. Iftikhar Ahmed, 54 overnight, was out after scoring 61, while other useful contributions came from Niaz Khan (29) and Abbas Afridi (26).

Faisalabad, who had earned a 64-run first-innings lead, chased down the 164-run target for the loss of three wickets. Atiqur Rehman smashed 65 off 56 balls with 12 fours, while Asim Ali Nasir remained unbeaten on 62 from 96 balls, also striking 12 boundaries. The pair came together at 51 for two, adding 108 runs before Atiq fell to Israrullah with the score at 159.

This was Peshawar’s first defeat after three successive wins in five matches, while it was Faisalabad’s second victory. In the sixth-round matches starting Wednesday, Faisalabad will take on neighbours Lahore at the Diamond Cricket Ground, while Peshawar face Karachi at the Marghzar Cricket Ground.

SIALKOT THUMP ABBOTTABAD

Sialkot recorded their third win of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy when they crushed Abbottabad by nine wickets at the Diamond Cricket Ground.

After being forced to follow on, Abbottabad resumed their second innings at 331 for eight, leading by 38 runs, and were bowled out for 342, setting a 50-run target for Sialkot. The hosts achieved it for the loss of Azan Awais (12) in under 10 overs.

Wickets for Sialkot were shared among Hasan Ali (3-64), Mohammad Ali (3-66) and Mohammad Hasnain (2-34).

In the sixth round, Sialkot will play Bahawalpur at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, while Abbottabad will meet FATA at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium.

FATA HOLDS ISLAMABAD TO A DRAW

FATA fought back gallantly to hold Islamabad to a respectable draw after being forced to follow on at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Set a 228-run target, Islamabad closed at 160 for one, with Raja Hamza Waheed unbeaten on 76 off 103 balls (7×4, 2×6) and Shamyl Hussain contributing 69 off 91 (7×4, 2×6). The two added 143 runs for the first wicket.

Earlier, on the final day, FATA — who had been dismissed for 281 in reply to Islamabad’s 432 and forced to follow on — resumed their second innings at 284 for four and were bowled out for 378 after adding 94 runs.

Mohammad Sarwar, 71 overnight, made 89, while Asif Afridi scored 36 not out and Mohammad Wasim Khan added 23. For Islamabad, Mohammad Musa Khan took 3-74, and Kaleem Dil also claimed 3-79.

The result left Islamabad still searching for their first win of the tournament, while FATA now have one win and two draws in five matches. In the sixth round, Islamabad will face Multan at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, while FATA will square off against Abbottabad at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium.

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

Islamabad drew with FATA, Abbottabad Cricket Stadium

ISLAMABAD 432, 103 overs (Sarmad Bhatti 150 not out, Rohail Nazir 101, Umar Riaz 34; Akif Javed 4-121, Arshadullah 3-109, Sameen Gul 2-83) and 160-1 (Raja Hamza Waheed 76 not out, Shamyl Hussain 69)

FATA (overnight 213-7, 38.2 overs) 281 all-out, 55.3 overs (Rehan Afridi 91, Sameen Gul 43, Mohammad Naeem 41, Mohammad Farooq 36, Khushdil Shah 20; Hunain Shah 4-104, Mohammad Shayan Sheikh 3-26, Mohammad Musa Khan 3-61) and 378 all-out (Khushdil Shah 159, Mohammad Sarwar 89, Asif Afridi 36 not out, Mohammad Wasim Khan 23, Mohammad Musa Khan 3-74 Kaleem Dil 3-79, Umair Riaz 2-31)

Sialkot beat Abbottabad by nine wickets, Diamond Cricket Ground

SIALKOT 385 all-out, 107.1 overs (Azan Awais 123, Abdullah Shafique 62, Mohsin Riaz 60, Afzal Manzoor 51, Hassan Ali 23; Shahnawaz Dahani 5-86, Israr Hussain 4-117) and 51-1 (Mohammad Huraira 29 not out)

ABBOTTABAD 92 all-out, 34.5 overs (Shahzaib Khan 39; Mohammad Hasnain 5-22, Hassan Ali 3-14, Mohammad Ali 2-27) and 342 all-out (Shahzaib Khan 131, Khalid Usman 83, Ahmed Khan 39, Mohammad Suleman 22; Hasan Ali 3-64, Mohammad Ali 3-66, Mohammad Hasnain 2-34)

Faisalabad beat Peshawar by seven wickets, Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium

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) and 227 all-out (Iftikhar Ahmed 61, Mohammad Haris 38, Waqar Ahmed 37, Niaz Khan 29, Abbas Afridi 26; Afaq Ahmed Afridi 5-55, Jahandad Khan 3-40, Ahmed Safi Abdullah 2-29)

FAISALABAD (overnight 309-7, 94 overs) 384 all-out, 121.4 overs (Faham ul Haq 157, Sardar Hasan Raza 40, Asim Ali Nasir 38, Ahmed Safi Abdullah 35, Taimur Khan 24, Awais Zafar 20; Sajid Khan 3-84, Iftikhar Ahmed 2-60, Niaz Khan 2-86) and 167-3 (Atiqur Rehman 65, Asim Ali Nasir 62 not out; Maaz Sadaqat 2-25)

Day 3 of 4:

Bahawalpur beat Karachi by eight wickets, Imran Khan Cricket Stadium

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) and 110 all-out (Omair Bin Yousuf 76; Gulfam Aziz 3-27, Mohammad Azab 2-29, Imran Randhawa 2-38)

BAHAWALPUR 115 all-out (Saad Khan 61; Saqib Khan 4-42, Mohammad Umar 3-34, Mohammad Hamza 2-28) and 215-2 (Saad Khan 103 not out, Mohammad Ammar 70 not out)

Lahore beat Multan by six wickets, Marghzar Cricket Ground

Multan 164 all-out, 43.4 overs (Arafat Minhas 45, Bismillah Khan 32, Imran Butt 30; Mohammad Abbas 5-32, Aamir Jamal 3-58) and 199 (Imran Butt 71, Waqar Hussain 49; Mohammad Abbas 5-51, Aamir Jamal 3-42, Nisar Ahmed 2-60)

Lahore 283 all-out, 74 overs (Qasim Akram 61, Ali Zaryab Asif 57, Amir Jamal 45, Nisar Ahmed 33, Junaid Ali 26, Mohammad Abbas 22; Mohammad Ismail 3-85, Arafat Minhas 2-22, Kashif Ali 2-55, Mohammad Shan 2-75) and 84-4 (Nisar Ahmed 24 not out; Kashif Ali 2-33)