Quaid-e-Azam trophy: Sohail, Bangash put Karachi in driving seat

Multan struggling on 188-5 after duo’s 133-run stand helps take Blues to 462

KARACHI: Half-centuries by Saifullah Bangash and Sohail Khan helped Karachi Blues post 462 in their first innings on the second day of their Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Grade II final match against Multan at the Pindi Stadium yesterday.

Karachi Blues resumed their first innings on 374-6 and added 88 more runs to their overnight total for the loss of one wicket before declaring after playing 83 overs.

Laced with six fours and as many sixes, Sohail smashed a quick-fire 82 off 54 balls to form a 133-run partnership with Bangash, who contributed an unbeaten 77-ball 68.





In reply, Multan lost their first wicket at the score of 31 when Zain Abbas (11) was clean bowled by Zohaib Shera. The second wicket stand produced 41 runs before Multan lost two wickets in quick succession. First Saeed Anwar Junior was sent packing by Mir Hamza to make it 72-2. Three runs later, Imran Rafiq was sent back to the pavilion, having been run out by Asad Shafiq with the score at 75-3.

Karachi’s Shera then claimed his second scalp by dismissing Shahzad Ali on a duck, with Kashif Naved following him soon after without disturbing the scorers. Multan’s Abdul Rehman, however, refused to throw his wicket away and was bating on 71, with the team’s score 188-5 at the end of play.



“We have done our work and damaged Multan with our partnership in the end, which added 133 runs to our score,” Bangash told The Express Tribune. “This has taken the pressure off the bowlers and they can now put all their efforts in taking wickets.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2^nd,  2016.              

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