Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final: Wickets galore as 12 batsmen fall on day one

UBL dismissed for 208 before SNGPL finish 35-2 at stumps

KARACHI: Mohammad Hafeez and Bilawal Bhatti chipped in with three wickets apiece to help SNGPL neutralise Sharjeel Khan’s onslaught upfront and bowl out UBL cheaply for just 208 in the day-night final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy at the National Stadium of Karachi.

UBL won the toss and decided to bat first, which turned out to be a good decision as they had a solid opening stand of 71 between Shaan Masood and Sharjeel.

The 26-year-old Sharjeel was in a destructive mood and did not allow any bowler to settle in the early stages of the match. However, he and other batsmen were troubled by Bhatti who bowled with menacing pace and bounce.



Hafeez provided the much-needed breakthrough with Shaan, who made 14 off 60, playing a reckless shot. Only 10 balls later, Hafeez removed Umar Siddique on naught to take UBL from 71-0 to 73-2.

Sharjeel was fittingly outdone by Bhatti after a 77-ball 73, studded with one six and 12 boundaries.

Skipper Younus Khan (16) and Sohaib Maqsood (18) tried to consolidate but both were caught in front of the stumps as they were undone by seamer Azizullah, leaving UBL in trouble on 126-5.



Hammad Azam, who made 39 off 67 balls with seven boundaries, and Gulraiz Sadaf, who remained unbeaten on 27, lifted UBL to a respectable total with a much-needed 58-run stand.

Their partnership was broken by ODI skipper and part-time leg-spinner Azhar Ali, and Bhatti then wrapped up the tail.

The SNGPL batsmen also found goings tough playing with the pink ball under lights and were 35-2 at stumps, with Ehsan Adil castling Hafeez in the first over before Azam did the same to Hussain Talat.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2016.

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