Sports Bulletin

By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (December 31, 2019):-The Pakistan Cricket Board has withdrawn fast-bowler Naseem Shah from next month’s ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup to be played in South Africa from 17 January to 9 February. The National Junior Selector Committee, which is headed by Saleem Jaffar, has named Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mohammad Wasim Jnr as Naseem’s replacement. Wasim Jnr took three wickets each in the ACC Asia Cup and on the tour of South Africa, while he bagged seven wickets on the tour of Sri Lanka. On the domestic circuit, he played one U19 one-day match in which he bagged three wickets, while he snapped up seven wickets in three U19 three-day matches. PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said: “The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup is a stepping stone for future stars and a platform for budding youngsters to graduate to international cricket. Naseem has recently broken that glass ceiling and has established his credentials as an international cricketer. “As such, the PCB has taken a pragmatic approach and decided to withdraw him from next year’s competition to provide this opportunity to another promising cricketer so that he can show his mettle and potential at a global stage. “This should not deter Pakistan’s chances at next year’s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup as the selectors have picked a side that is experienced and bubbling with confidence to perform strongly. “Naseem will now remain in Pakistan and continue to work on his skills under the watchful eyes of bowling coach Waqar Younis. Furthermore, he will remain available for the home series against Bangladesh.” The 2004 and 2006 champions and three-time runners-up, are placed in Group C of the 16-team event and will play Scotland in their opening match on 19 January in Potchefstroom. Pakistan’s second match will be against Zimbabwe at the Witrand Oval on Wednesday, 22 January, while their third and final group match will be on 24 January at the JP Marks Oval against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom. The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the Super League, while the remaining teams will feature in the Plate Championship. The Super League stage will commence from Tuesday, 28 January and the top four sides will qualify for the semi-finals, with the winners competing for the title on Sunday, 9 February, in Potchefstroom. Meanwhile, the Pakistan U19 cricket team’s preparation camp will commence at the National Cricket Academy from Wednesday, 1 January 2020. The team will depart for Johannesburg on 10 January. The following are the media opportunities during the camp. Wednesday, 1 January: Head coach Ijaz Ahmed will be available for media talk at around 2:30pm at the National Cricket Academy, Lahore. Friday, 3 January: Batsman Haider Ali will be available for media talk at around 2:30pm at the National Cricket Academy, Lahore. Monday, 6 January: Left-arm-spinner Arish Ali Khan will be available for media talk at around 2:30pm at the National Cricket Academy, Lahore. Tuesday, 7 January: All-rounder Mohammad Abbas Afridi will be available for media talk at around 2:30pm at the National Cricket Academy, Lahore. Wednesday, 8 January: Batsman Mohammad Irfan Khan will be available for media talk at around 2:30pm at the National Cricket Academy, Lahore. Thursday, 9 January: Captain Rohail Nazir will be available for media talk at around 2:30pm at the National Cricket Academy, Lahore. Friday, 10 January: Pakistan team will depart for South Africa in the afternoon.

By Our Special Corresponednt ISLAMABAD (December 31, 2019):-The year 2019 was a prolific one for batting sensation Babar Azam. The right-handed middle-order batsman stamped his authority on the international circuit across the three formats with some scintillating display of stroke-play that left the fans in awe across the cricketing world. Be it the bouncy tracks of South Africa and Australia, the high-octane ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 matches, Twenty20 Internationals or the emotions of the return of Test cricket to Pakistan, Babar left an indelible mark with his class, charisma, style, elegance, temperament and powers of concentration. In six Tests, Babar scored 616 runs at 68.44 at a hugely impressive strike-rate of 72.30 with the help of three centuries and three half-centuries. In 20 ODIs, Babar totalled 1,092 runs at 60.66. His strike-rate was 93.30 and the runs tally included three centuries and six half-centuries. In 10 T20Is, Babar contributed 374 runs at 41.55 with a strike-rate of 136.99. Babar scored a total of four half-centuries in T20Is this year. It is no surprise that Babar is the only cricketer in the ICC Player Rankings to feature in the top-six across the three formats - No.6 in Tests, No.3 in ODIs and No.1 in T20Is. Looking back at 2019, Babar Azam said: “It was a great year for me. I learned a lot this year especially how to perform in all conditions. I used to score runs earlier but sometimes I wasn’t able to give match-winning performances. I tried to improve on that aspect learned how to bat and win games under pressure, which was a big learning curve for me. “This year, I played my first 50-over World Cup. It was a big occasion and I really enjoyed the event [Babar scored a Pakistan record 474 runs in the tournament at 67.71]. As a kid, I used to follow World Cups very keenly on television. When I got selected for the big event, I set a goal of doing something big and different. “Being the top batsman in my team was always a target for me. The World Cup gave me an opportunity of getting recognised at the highest level, which gave me real satisfaction. My innings against New Zealand (101*, 127b, 11x4) was my best in the tournament and it taught me a great deal of how to bat and bail the team out in a pressure situation. “Test cricket was also quite rewarding for me this year. For the past two years, I wasn’t quite living up to my own and cricket fans’ expectations in the longest format. This year, I worked on improving the mistakes I made in the format and was able to overcome some of them which helped me make some runs. The more you play the longer format, the more you understand the nuances of the game and find your way. “My innings in South Africa against Dale Steyn gave me great pleasure and confidence that I can get into the Test match zone. I also learned how to convert 60s and 70s into 100s, and then my century in Australia gave me confidence that I can make big runs in the format. “When you score in places like South Africa, Australia and New Zealand against formidable bowling attacks, you get self-belief and confidence. I rate the century against Australia as my best innings of the year in Test format. “Playing in front of home crowd was a special feeling. I am thankful to the Almighty that I succeeded in achieving my goal of scoring and winning a Test against Sri Lanka. “I really enjoyed batting in front of home crowds. When fans take your name and you hear slogans in the stands, your confidence increases 200 per cent. It is an inexplicable feeling. I don’t feel undue pressure in these situations, it, in fact, increases my focus and determination thinking that these fans want me to do really well and I must make them happy. “You have to forget your past performances and focus on improving all the time. You can’t afford to relax if you have one good year. You have to keep delivering all the time that should be the ultimate goal. “Your responsibility increases 200 per cent each time you perform, consistency is the key and that is what I seek. One has to perform in each and every series and plan accordingly keeping in mind the opposition. “It is a big honour that I got T20I captaincy this year, it makes me really proud. In Australia though we were not able to perform up to expectations, the team will rebuild gradually and I am quite hopeful that we will do well in the ICC T20 World Cup in 2020.”

By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (December 31, 2019):-Year 2019 will be remembered as a landmark year in Pakistan’s cricketing history. It ended with the country taking a major stride in ensuring full resumption of international cricket in Pakistan as Sri Lanka played two Tests in Rawalpindi and Karachi in December. Prior to the Test series, Pakistan had staged eight HBL Pakistan Super League matches in Karachi in March, while Karachi and Lahore played host to Sri Lanka in white-ball cricket in September/October. Furthermore, the revamp of the domestic structure led to riveting cricketing action on-field which renewed the fans’ interest in domestic events and various steps were taken to make the PCB a transparent corporate body. On the field in 2019, Pakistan produced mixed results. The men’s side lost four Tests in South Africa and Australia before ending win drought in Karachi, while it missed a place in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 semi-final by a fraction of a point after they ended up on equal points with losing finalists New Zealand. This performance came after they were swept aside by Australia and England in the lead up to the ICC’s pinnacle 50-over competition. Pakistan emerging sides produced more consistent performances. The U19s won the series in Sri Lanka and South Africa, while the Emerging side won the ACC tournament in Bangladesh. Women were not too far behind and despite being on the losing end against England, they were impressive in their shows against the West Indies and South Africa. The PCB got unprecedented recognition in the ICC with PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani, Chief Executive Wasim Khan and Senior Legal Counsel Barrister Salman Naseer sitting on five influential committees. Implementation of the new PCB Constitution 2019 and rolling of transparency and accountability with the PCB uploading its Chairman’s Statement of Expenses and Benefits are the administrative achievements of the year. Reviewing 2019, PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani said: “We had four objectives for this year and we have successfully met all of them. “We had to reform our constitution, make the governance structure of the cricket board transparent, introduce corporate practices through clear delegation of duties and fully restore international cricket in Pakistan. “The genesis of better on-field performances in international cricket is in domestic cricket. We have made massive investment in the revamping of our domestic structure in a very short time which has resulted in a very successful Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. “The changes have brought forward some fundamental changes. The first-class matches have entered fourth day, which was previously missing. The pacers are not getting undue assistance anymore and this has brought spinners into play, which will address the issue of the lack of spinners. “The PCB now enjoys unprecedented representation at international level as we became part of as many as five ICC committees this year. “The biggest challenge was to get Sri Lanka to tour Pakistan. They took small steps in their return to the country by playing white-ball cricket here first. “The biggest achievement for me was the two Tests we played against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi and Karachi. It has sent out a message that Pakistan is safe and ready for international cricket and we will now build on it. “We have to make cricket board more efficient and look forward at how we have to progress where there is value for money. We have to bring in more transparency and accountability and create an environment where we can work effectively. “Our challenge is to bring consistency in our performances and deliver the results. Our players are professionals and the more they play the better they will deliver. These youngsters are extremely talented and they are the light at the end of tunnel, which has been evident by the recent performances.”  

SB News ISLAMABAD (December 31, 2019):-The year 2019 was a year of mixed on-field performances for the Pakistan national men’s team. They strengthened the claim of Karachi’s National Stadium being the national side’s fortress in Test cricket with a win against Sri Lanka to register their first World Test Championship win, but struggled on away tours failing to win in South Africa and Australia. They won four consecutive group-stage contests in the ICC Cricket World Cup and fell just short of qualifying for the semi-finals on the basis of the net run-rate. They beat Sri Lanka 2-0 at home in their last ODI assignment, but series defeats to Australia and England put a dent in their win/loss ratio. Pakistan remained number one in T20Is throughout the year. They were beaten 2-1 by South Africa in an away series, which were followed by series losses to England, Sri Lanka and Australia. The PCB appointed Misbah-ul-Haq as the chief selector and head coach after the ICC Cricket World Cup, in 2019. Recapping the 2019, Misbah-ul-Haq said: “Pakistan ended 2019 on a high note with victory against Sri Lanka, but, overall, it was a tough year for Pakistan in Test cricket. “In white-ball cricket our mainstays like Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan, on the back of whom we had won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, lost form at a crucial time which saw us suffer in the ODI World Cup and T20I format. Though, we managed to stay number one in the format throughout the year. Overall, our win ratio in T20I cricket has fallen. “Going further we have to improve a lot of things in both red-ball and white-ball cricket. This team has enough potential and new boys are also making their way in international cricket. There’s certainly a bright future ahead for us. “The emergence of Babar Azam as a mega star across all formats is very good news for Pakistan cricket. He remained number one in T20I cricket and is in the top ten batsmen in the ODI cricket. He played some brilliant innings in the World Cup and ended the year by establishing himself as a Test batsman with scintillating performances in Australia and two centuries against Sri Lanka in Pakistan. “Some of the new bowlers like Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi have arrived at the scene and they have been impressive in Test cricket. “Naseem got a five-fer in the last Test against Sri Lanka. Shaheen bowled well in the World Cup and he showed glimpses of being a Test bowler in South Africa, and bowled really well in Australia and here in Pakistan against Sri Lanka. “We will hopefully bank on these two promising fast-bowlers in the future. “Overall, we are on the right track. The more we play the longer format, the more we will improve. We need to do a lot of work in white-ball cricket ahead of the all-important ICC T20 World Cup next year. “Retaining number one position in T20Is was a big positive for us. No doubt, we did not perform up to the set standards, but this is something we look to build on. “Mohammad Rizwan performed very well for us in Australia, which was very good for us. Iftikhar Ahmed joined the team in the latter part of the year and the way he has put up performances in the T20I performances was certainly a plus for us. “We can go a long way with a few more additions in the side and the present players maturing.”  

SB News KARACHI (December 30, 2019):-Central Punjab defeated Northern by an innings and 16 runs to be crowned champions of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2019-20. In the final, played at Karachi’s National Stadium, Central Punjab wrapped up the five-day affair in the evening session of the fourth day thanks to Bilal Asif’s sensational off-spin bowling which saw him bag as many as eight wickets for 112 runs. Northern had a 312-run trail to surmount with eight wickets in hand at the beginning of the play on Monday. Young opener Haider Ali registered his second first-class century after resuming his innings at the overnight score of 50. He along with Faizan Riaz (22) put up resistance for the first hour of the day’s play before Bilal removed both batsmen on either side of the latter half of the morning session. With 134 runs, Haider was the highest run-getter from his side. The 19-year-old smashed 22 fours and a six in his 204-ball stay at the crease. Rohail Nazir and Ali Sarfraz scored half-centuries in the middle-order and put up a defiant 95-run stand for the fifth-wicket. Rohail scored 70 from 96 balls, hitting nine fours, while Ali made 81 in 119 balls and cracked 12 fours. Once, the stand was broken, with Ehsan Adil trapping Rohail LBW, the Northern batting line-up crumbled with Bilal taking all five remaining wickets. Central Punjab had amassed a mammoth first innings score of 675 for eight declared on the back of a brilliant double-century by Umar Akmal. The middle-order batsman scored 218 runs with the help of 20 fours and eight sixes. For their match-winning contributions, Umar and Bilal shared the player of the final award. Tournament awards: Player of the tournament: Zafar Gohar (Central Punjab) - 458 runs, 38 wickets Best batsman of the tournament: Imran Butt (Balochistan) – 934 runs Best bowler of the tournament: Nauman Ali (Northern) – 54 wickets Best wicketkeeper of the tournament: Kamran Akmal (Central Punjab) – 41 dismissals Scores in brief: Northern 254 all-out, 61 overs (Faizan Riaz 116, Rohail Nazir 80; Faheem Ashraf 5-54, Bilal Asif 3-37, Aizaz Cheema 2-56) and 405 all-out, 111.3 overs (Haider Ali 134, Ali Sarfraz 81, Rohail Nazir 70, Zeeshan Malik 38, Faizan Riaz 22; Bilal Asif 8-112) Central Punjab 675-8d, 155.1 overs (Umar Akmal 218, Azhar Ali 119, Zafar Gohar 99, Salman Butt 74, Babar Azam 69, Kamran Akmal 41; Faizan Riaz 2-62, Mohammad Musa 2-115, Nauman Ali 2-183)

  SB News KARACHI (December 29, 2019):-Central Punjab’s Umar Akmal recorded his second double-century in first-class cricket on day three of the final of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament against Northern at Karachi’s National Stadium. The middle-order batsman made 218 runs from 265 balls, adding 95 runs to his overnight score on Sunday. He cracked a total of 20 fours and eight sixes in an innings which played a vital role in helping his side pile up a 421-run first innings lead. Central Punjab declared on 675 for eight. Umar got the desired assistance from Zafar Gohar, who fell just one run short of what would have been his career’s second century at this level, at the other end. The bowling all-rounder scored 99 from 168 balls, hitting 12 fours and two sixes, as the pair stitched a solid 215-run partnership for the sixth-wicket before Zafar was dismissed off Faizan Riaz’s bowling. For Northern, Nauman Ali, Mohammad Musa and Faizan picked up two wickets each. Northern, in their second innings, were 109 for two when stumps were drawn. Nineteen-year-old Haider Ali was the star performer with his unbeaten 50. The young opener crafted a 75-run opening partnership with Zeeshan Malik, who scored 38, hitting six fours, before falling to Bilal Asif. Haider has struck seven fours in the 113 balls he has faced to date and he will be joined by Faizan Riaz at the other end when the play resumes on Monday. The two have a daunting task of surmounting the 312-run trail to avoid an innings defeat. Umar Amin (17) was the other batsman to fall as he nicked Faheem Ashraf, who took five wickets in the previous innings, to be caught behind. Scores in brief: Northern 254 all-out, 61 overs (Faizan Riaz 116, Rohail Nazir 80; Faheem Ashraf 5-54, Bilal Asif 3-37, Aizaz Cheema 2-56) and 109-2, 36 overs (Haider Ali 50 not out, Zeeshan Malik 38) Central Punjab 675-8d, 155.1 overs (Umar Akmal 218, Azhar Ali 119, Zafar Gohar 99, Salman Butt 74, Babar Azam 69, Kamran Akmal 41; Faizan Riaz 2-62, Mohammad Musa 2-115, Nauman Ali 2-183)

  SB News KARACHI (December 28, 2019):-Centuries by Azhar Ali and Umar Akmal consolidated Central Punjab’s position in the final of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament against Northern at Karachi’s National Stadium on Saturday. Central Punjab amassed a mammoth score of 466 for five and boasted an imposing 212-run first innings lead when stumps were drawn on day two of the five-day contest. The day started with the pair of Azhar and Salman Butt – who made 74, hitting 14 boundaries – pushing the Northern bowlers on the backfoot and denying any early inroads as the pair added 38 runs in their second-wicket partnership of 95 runs. Azhar, the Pakistan Test captain, added 102 runs to his overnight score and raised his first-class career’s 39th century. He made 119 runs from 212 balls, out of which 14 were dispatched for boundaries. After Salman’s wicket in the first session, Azhar continued to craft solid partnerships with the middle-order batsmen. He paired with Central Punjab captain Babar Azam, who cracked nine fours and a six in his 89-ball 69, for a 125-run stand for the third-wicket before adding 93 runs for the fourth-wicket with Umar Akmal, who returned unbeaten after scoring a blistering 123. Umar spanked Northern bowlers all around the ground smashing five sixes and 12 fours in the 115 balls he has faced to date. He took the leading role in the 98-run partnership for the fifth-wicket with his elder brother Kamran Akmal (41). This was the 29-year-old’s second century of the tournament and his 17th overall in first-class cricket. Umar will have Zafar Gohar (nine) on his side when play resumes on Sunday. Scores in brief: Northern 254 all-out, 61 overs (Faizan Riaz 116, Rohail Nazir 80; Faheem Ashraf 5-54, Bilal Asif 3-37, Aizaz Cheema 2-56) Central Punjab 466-5, 104 overs (Umar Akmal 123 not out, Azhar Ali 119, Salman Butt 74, Babar Azam 69, Kamran Akmal 41; Nauman Ali 2-113)

  Sports Desk ISLAMABAD (December 27, 2019):-A five-wicket haul by Faheem Ashraf and an unbeaten 57-run stand between Salman Butt and Azhar Ali put Central Punjab in a commanding position on day one of the final of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament against Northern at Karachi’s National Stadium on Friday. Faheem, the Central Punjab bowling all-rounder, returned five for 54 – his sixth five-fer at this level – as Northern were bowled out for 254 in 61 overs after electing to bat. He, along with Aizaz Cheema (two for 56), sparked an early collapse which saw the batting side getting reduced to five for 69 before a gutsy 116 by Faizan Riaz rescued Northern. Faizan, who now moves to fifth spot in the highest run-getters’ chart after scoring his third century of the tournament, smashed 14 fours in his 133-ball knock and crafted a defiant 155-run stand for the sixth-wicket with Rohail Nazir, who made a solid 80. Rohail, the Pakistan U19 captain, faced 115 balls, out of which 12 were dispatched for fours. As Central Punjab captain Babar Azam looked for a breakthrough, Faheem provided his side the crucial wicket of Faizan after which off-spinner Bilal Ashraf (three for 37) wrapped up the tail. Opener Salman took a lead role in Central Punjab’s reply scoring an unbeaten 48. The left-hander cracked 10 fours in the 67 balls he faced on the first day of the match, which helped Central Punjab to 87 for one in 21 overs before stumps were drawn. Batting at the other end was Pakistan Test captain Azhar Ali – who scored 17 not out in 37 balls. Central Punjab’s only wicket to fall was Ahmed Shahzad. The right-handed opener made 20 off 22 balls before getting dismissed by Nauman Ali, the leading wicket-taker of the tournament. Central Punjab trail Northern by 167 runs. The second day’s play will begin at 10am on Saturday.  Scores in brief: Northern 254 all-out, 61 overs (Faizan Riaz 116, Rohail Nazir 80; Faheem Ashraf 5-54, Bilal Asif 3-37, Aizaz Cheema 2-56) Central Punjab 87-1, 21 overs (Salman Butt 48 not out, Ahmed Shehzad 20)

  SB Report KARACHI (December 26, 2019):-Twenty-five players will take part in the 14-day long Skills 2 Shine training camp for girls at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Center at the National Stadium, Karachi from Saturday, 28 December. The camp will run till 10 January 2020. The players have been selected on the basis of their performances showcased during the Skills 2 Shine U18 Women T20 Championship held from 15th – 25th November 2019 in Lahore. The coaching camp will provide the players a pathway in the build-up to the ICC Women’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2021 which will be played in Bangladesh. Names of players: Aima Saleem (Islamabad), Arijah Haseeb (Karachi), Anoosha Nasir (Karachi), Ayesha Naseem (Abbottabad), Bisma Amjad (Karachi), Fajar Naveed (Islamabad), Fatima Khan (Lahore), Fatima Zehra Shah (Islamabad), Gul Rukh (Lahore), Gul Uswa (Multan), Hamna Bilal (Islamabad), Hania Ahmar (Karachi), Inshra Asad (Karachi), Khushbakht Waseem (Lahore), Laiba Fatima (Karachi), Laraib Malik (Lahore), Laveeza Munir (Lahore), Momina Riasat Khan (Abbottabad), Najiha Alvi (Karachi), Nazish Rafique (Lahore), Rida Aslam (Islamabad), Saima Malik (Quetta), Shawal Zulfiqar (Lahore), Yusra Amir (Karachi) and Zaibunisa(Charsadda). Coaching staff: Shahid Anwar (Head coach), Wasim Yousafi (Assistant coach), Gemaal Maqsood Hussain (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Saima Malik (Physio), Rabia Siddiqui (Junior Physio), Fizza Abid (Academy Manager), Shanullah (Analyst),

  By Our Special Correspondent ISLAMABAD (December 26, 2019):=Fresh after their historic Test series win against Sri Lanka in Karachi, Pakistan cricket stars will be in action in the final of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament between Central Punjab and Northern which commences from Friday, 27 December, at the National Stadium, Karachi. The return of Pakistan Test captain Azhar Ali and premier middle-order batsman and Central Punjab’s captain Babar Azam bolster Central Punjab, while the comeback of Pakistan U19 captain Rohail Nazir and top-order batsman Haider Ali strengthen the Northern side. The final of Pakistan’s premier domestic competition, will be a five-day affair. The contest not only provides an opportunity to both sides to get hold of the prestigious silverware but will also help them make history by being the first winners of the revamped tournament. The winner will also pocket a huge Rs. 10000,000 prize money. The runners-up will bag Rs.5000,000. The two sides have had an intriguing journey this season and were separated by three points on the table.  Central Punjab finished on top with 133 points, while Northern, with 130 points, ended the group-stage at number two. When the two teams meet on Friday, Northern will be eyeing revenge as two out of Central Punjab’s three wins this tournament came against them. Road to the final: Central Punjab – 3 wins, 1 loss, 6 draws, 133 points From the onset of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Central Punjab established themselves as strong contenders to secure a berth in the final. Though their journey started off with a draw in a Punjab Derby at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, their points tally got a massive boost in the next two rounds on the back of comprehensive wins. They rolled over Northern by an innings and 100 runs at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad in the second round and outplayed Balochistan, at their home, in the third round to record a victory with a margin of an innings and 12 runs. In their third win of the season, they beat Northern, this time by a margin of 205 runs, in Faisalabad in the seventh round. Central Punjab have lost only one match this tournament, against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 211 runs at NBP Sports Complex, Karachi, in the ninth-round. Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt, second and fourth on the highest run-getters charts, have been instrumental in ensuring their side’s success with the bat. Kamran has scored 865 runs with the help of three centuries and three half-centuries and he averages 61.79 in 14 innings. The 38-year-old has not only stamped his authority with the bat but has also been at the forefront of his side’s success with the gloves with 35 dismissals – the most in the tournament. Left-handed opener Salman Butt has struck three centuries – including a double-century – and two half-centuries in his 827 runs at an average of 75.18. With the ball, their spin-duo of Zafar Gohar and Bilal Asif, second and third on the list of highest wicket-takers, have been the major tormentors. Left-arm orthodox Zafar has taken 38 wickets, while off-spinner Bilal has 32 scalps to his name. Central Punjab captain Babar Azam said: “The first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is a prestigious tournament for the country and has a great significance in our domestic cricket as it serves as a nursery for Test cricketers. “We are very happy to be in the final and look to stretch our match-winning form into this contest. I missed some domestic matches because of the national duty but it was heartening to see the progress that our side made over the course of the tournament. “Our batting is our main strength and I am looking forward to contribute for Central Punjab after scoring a hundred against Sri Lanka at the same venue. “It is certainly going to be an exciting contest and from what I have seen in the camp, our all players are charged up for it.” Road to the final: Northern – 3 wins, 2 losses, 5 draws, 130 points Northern languished at the bottom of the points table for the first half of the tournament but traveling to Karachi in the sixth round brought a much-desired change in their fortunes. They recorded their first win of the tournament against Sindh at the National Stadium and took the tally of wins to three in the ninth and tenth rounds by securing wins over Balochistan by eight wickets and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 39 runs at UBL Sports Complex. Their captain Nauman Ali, the top wicket-taker in the tournament, has spearheaded his side’s epic turnover. His left-arm spin has garnered 52 wickets at an average of 22.85. He has recorded as many as five five-wicket hauls this season and has the best strike-rate (42.60) amongst the top ten wicket-takers. Northern’s Zeeshan Malik and Faizan Riaz are amongst the seven batsmen to have scored double-centuries this season. The two lead the batting charts for their side with Zeeshan being the leading run scorer from his side with 726 runs at an average of 55.85, while Faizan has 719 runs at an average of 71.90. Top-order batsman Umar Amin has the third most runs for Northern. The 30-year-old has made 595 runs – which include a century and three half-centuries – across 10 matches. Northern captain Nauman Ali said: “We are geared up for the final. There won’t be any such pressure on us against Central Punjab in the final. We have been involved in high pressure matches throughout our journey so we are aware how we have to handle the tough situations. “Our batting has done well with the likes of Zeeshan Malik and Faizan Riaz as both of the batsmen have scored double centuries. In the middle-order we have the experience of Umar Amin, Hammad Azam and Ali Sarfaraz. “I have had a good run this tournament with the ball and I am looking forward to lead my side from the front in the bowling department. We will also have Musa Khan available for the final and he will be joined by Waqas Malik, who has done well throughout the season. We have high expectations from both of them. The presence of senior pacers like Sadaf Hussain and Sohail Tanvir further bolsters our bowling department. “Our team has a good blend of youth and experience which makes it a complete unit. I am hopeful that we will do well in the final.” Officials The team of the match officials will be led by match referee Iftikhar Ahmed. Ahsan Raza and Asif Yaqoob will be on the on-field umpires, while Rashid Riaz will carry out the duties of the TV umpire. Tahir Rasheed will be the reserve umpire. Individual awards In line with the PCB’s policy of incentivising top performers, the best players of the tournament will be awarded lucrative prize moneys. The best batsman, bowler and wicketkeeper of the tournament along with player of the tournament will get PKR500,000 each. The man-of-the-final will be awarded PKR50,000.