Sports Bulletin

Quaid-e Azam Trophy Second XI Final: Mukhtar and Tayyab score centuries Abdullah Asjad Islamabad 26 November 2019: Opening batsman Mukhtar Ahmed and middle-order batsman Tayyab Tahir struck centuries for Southern Punjab against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on day-one of the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2nd XI tournament being played at State Bank Stadium in Karachi. Southern Punjab electing to bat first, managed to score 369 for five in 83 overs. Anas Mustafa and Mukhtar Ahmed contributed 137 runs for the first-wicket partnership. Anas’ innings of 61 from 90 balls included seven fours and a six. Mukhtar scored 103 off 183 balls. His 223 minutes stay at the crease included eight fours and a six. Tayyab Tahir coming to bat at number four scored a quick-fire unbeaten 90-ball 107, hitting four fours and six sixes. He contributed an undefeated 141-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Mohammad Umair (45 off 52 balls). For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, left-arm spinner Asif Afridi took two wickets for 87 runs in 27 overs. In return, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were 27 for no loss in five overs when stumps were drawn. Scores in brief: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Southern Punjab, State Bank Stadium, Karachi Southern Punjab 369-5, 83 overs (Tayyab Tahir 107 not out, Mukhtar Ahmed 103, Anas Mustafa 61, Mohammad Umair 45 not out; Asif Afridi 2-87) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 27-0, five overs -ENDS-

Western Warriors crowned U18 Women’s T20 Champions Abdullah Asjad ISLAMABAD ( November 2019):-Western Warriors beat Northern Renegades by eight wickets to win the inaugural Skills 2 Shine U18 Women’s Cricket T20 Championship at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. The tournament is part of Pakistan Cricket Board’s efforts to identify and develop a pool of cricketers ahead of the 2021 ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup and promote the sport amongst young girls.  The tournament included four teams, which were finalised by the national women’s selection committee after trials all over the country. A total of seven matches, including the final, were played with the group matches staged at the Bagh-e-Jinnah Ground.  In the final on Sunday, Western Warriors chased down the 87-run target in 14.4 overs as their captain Ayesha Naseem top-scored with an unbeaten 34 from 17 balls, while other notable performance came from opener Saima Malik who scored 26 not out from 48 balls. Northern Renegades’ right-arm medium Misbah Gul and slow left-arm Anoosha Nasir picked up three and two wickets respectively. Earlier, Northern Renegades, after electing to bat, made 86 for six in 20 overs on the back of 28 off 42 by opener Shawal Zulfiqar and 15 not out from 17 balls by Humna Bilal. Western Warrior’s Nazish Rafique played a crucial role in keeping the flow of runs in check as the slow left-armer took three wickets for 13 runs in four overs. For their match-winning performances, Nazish and Ayesha shared the player of the final award.  Northern Renegades’ Aima Saleem picked up the player of the tournament award for being the highest run getter in the tournament with 150 runs in four matches. She also picked up two wickets.  The top players of the tournament will go through a specialised academy programme, which will focus on skills, fitness and athlete development training. The details of the programme will be announced shortly.  Scores in brief:  Northern Renegades 86-6, 20 overs (Shawal Zulfiqar 28, Humna Bilal 15 not out; Nazish Rafique 3-13)  Western Warriors 90-2, 14.4 overs (Ayesha Naseem 34 not out, Saima Malik 26 not out)  Result: Western Warriors won the final by eight wickets

National U16 Three-Day Tournament to commence from November 25 Abdullah Asjad ISLAMABAD(24 November 2019):-The National U16 Three-Day Tournament 2019-20 is scheduled to be held from November 25 to 10 December in Faisalabad, Islamabad and Rawalpindi. A total of 90 players, finalised by the junior selection committee which is headed by Saleem Jaffar, will participate in the six-team competition.  The six teams have been divided into two pools. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Southern Punjab have been placed in Pool ‘A’, while Balochistan, Central Punjab and Northern have been placed in Pool ‘B’. All Pool ‘A’ matches will be placed at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium. Islamabad’s Shalimar Cricket Ground and KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi will host Pool ‘B’ fixtures. The final will be played from 8-10 December 2019; the venue will be announced in due course.  Each team will play two three-day matches at group-stage and the top two teams from both groups will play the final. PCB Senior GM - Academies, Ali Zia, said: “The U16 programme was initiated in the year 2007-08 from the district level. With the passage of time, and due to its huge success, the programme became a permanent feature of the academy program.  “The programme is a pathway for the players to groom and get a chance to feature in U19, Second XI and later in the first-class cricket before they ultimately make it to the international level. “If you see most of the players that feature for Pakistan U19 in international events come from U16 level. After the restructuring of domestic cricket, we have introduced the system at the junior level, which includes U16 and U19 stages.  “The PCB has recently completed three-day and one-day tournaments at the U19 level consisting of six associations, and now the upcoming U16 tournament will also consist of the same format. The three-day matches will give exposure to the young players to adapt to the variable conditions and make them technically, tactically, physically and mentally strong.”  The participating teams’ squads are as follows:  Balochistan  Abdul Wakeel (Quetta), Adil Ahmed Khan (Quetta), Arbaz Khan (Hub), Bashir Ahmed (Quetta), Basit Ali (Naseerabad), Faizullah (Quetta), Ikramullah Tareen (Quetta), Khalid Khan (Quetta), M Uzair (Naseerabad), Mohammad Nasir (Naseerabad), Muhammad Usman (Quetta), Nabeel Ahmed (Quetta), Safiullah (Naushki), Shahid Ali (Jaffarabad), Yasir Hussain (Naseerabad)  Central Punjab  Afzaal Manzoor (Sialkot), Ali Asfand (Faisalabad), Ali Zuraiz Asif (Lahore), Aram Nawab (Faisalabad), Azan Awais (Sialkot), Faham ul Haq (Lahore), Ibrar Afzaal (Lahore), Muhammad Haseeb (Faisalabad), Muhammad Ibtisam (Faisalabad), Muneeb Wasif (Lahore), Musa Azeem (Sialkot), Obaid Shahid (Lahore), Osama Zahid (Lahore), Sumama Riaz (Faisalabad), Zohaib Khan (Lahore)  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa  Aamir Khan (Peshawar), Abbas Ali (Peshawar), Ahtsham ul Haq (Lower Dir), Arfat Afsar (Peshawar), Asif Tehsin (Mardan), Azmat Ullah (Upper Dir), Haseeb Khan (Khyber Agency), Ismail Khan (S.Waziristan), Muhammad Farooq (Mohmand Agency), Muhammad Irfan (Khyber Agency), Muhammad Tahir (Peshawar), Muhammad Umar (Swabi), Muhammad Zulkifal (Charsada), Shahabuddin  (Lower Dir), Usama Alam  (Peshawar)  Northern  Abdul Basit (Rawalpindi), Amir Hassan (Rawalpindi), Arman Khan (Rawalpindi), Aseer Mughal  (Rawalpindi), Asadullah Khan (Islamabad), Atif Khan (Islamabad), Hammad Rafiq (Chakwal), Haseeb Imran (Jhelum), Irshad Ahmed (Rawalpindi), Muhammad Ibrahim (Jhelum), Rabeel Ahmed Khan (Attock), Saad Masood (Rawalpindi), Shahmeer Ali (Rawalpindi), Shamyl Hussain (Islamabad), Sudais Ulfat (Islamabad)  Sindh  Ali Hassan (Karachi), Aliyan Mehmood (Karachi), Asif Ali (Ghotki), Awais Qarni (Karachi), Hassan Asim (Karachi), Huzaifa Ahmed (Karachi), Kashan Fahim (Karachi), Maaz Khurram (Karachi), Mirza Saad Baig (Karachi), Mohammad Meesam (Hyerabad), Mohammad Sikandar (Hyerabad), Shayan Saad (Karachi), Syed Taha Ali (Karachi), Umar Aijaz (Karachi), Wahaj Riaz (Karachi)  Southern Punjab  Abdullah Yaseen (Rahimyar Khan), Aftab Haider (Okara), Alamgir (Multan), Alamzaib  (Multan), Ali Haider (Vehari), Arafat Ahmed (Multan), Asad Abbas (Vehari), Bilal Ahmed (Sahiwal), Harib Moen (Lodhran), Haseeb Nazim (Multan), Mohammad Shehzad (DG Khan), Mohammad Ammar (Okara), Mohammad Bilal (Sahiwal), Sharjeel Hassan (Lodhran), Zulkaif Chishti (Pakpatan)

Shane Watson’s return to Pakistan on cards By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD:-Australian star Shane Watson is expected to return to Pakistan next year after he was included in the Platinum category for HBL Pakistan Super League 2020. Watson, the most-sought after T20 cricketer, has featured in all four editions of the HBL PSL. His best run, however, came in the 2019 edition in which he was awarded player of the tournament and played a crucial hand in helping Quetta Gladiators secure their maiden title. Watson was the highest run-getter in the tournament as he piled up 430 runs in 12 matches at a blistering strike rate of 143.81. The hard-hitting batsman averaged 43 – the highest amongst the top five run-getters in the edition – and cracked four half-centuries with 91 not out being his highest score. Though he kept Quetta Gladiators fans on their feet throughout the tournament with his riveting knocks with the bat, his moment of the tournament came with the ball. Asked to bowl the last over, his only rotation of the arm in the tournament, against Peshawar Zalmi in the Qualifier, with the opposition requiring 21 and a destructive pair of Kieron Pollard and Darren Sammy on strike, Watson bowled Pollard to seal a berth in the final for his side. Shane Watson, while recalling his experience of playing in Pakistan earlier this year, said: “I can't wait to come back to Pakistan and play in season five. I had an amazing experience in Karachi during the last HBL PSL. “To be able to connect with the cricket-loving fans in Pakistan and experience Quetta Gladiators winning their first HBL PSL was an amazing experience and one of the highlights of my career.” Earlier this month, Watson, who has 316 T20s under his belt, was announced as the president of the Australian Cricket Association and his eagerness to return to Pakistan underscores the popularity of the HBL PSL amongst elite T20 cricketers. He will be joined by Nicholas Pooran (West Indies) and Mitch McClenaghan (New Zealand) in the Platinum category. McClenaghan played four matches for the Qalandars in HBL PSL 2018 while Pooran was part of the Sultans rosters in 2018 and 2019, respectively. English bowler Steven Finn has also joined the HBL PSL Player Draft and will be part of the Gold category. The lanky pacer was part of the Islamabad United team in 2017 and 2018.

Quaid-e-Azam Trophy ninth round begins on Monday  SB News ISLAMABAD (November 23, 2019): As the battle to secure the top two spots on the points table continues to flare up, the ninth round of the four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which commences on Monday, 25 November, promises to keep the fans on the edge of their seats. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s big win by an innings and 122 runs over Balochistan has helped them leapfrog Southern Punjab and Northern to the second spot and another win in either of their next two matches will go a long way in guaranteeing them a berth in the final of the country’s premier first-class tournament. They, however, have a challenging task at their hands as they face table-toppers Central Punjab, who have three wins in eight matches, at NBP Sports Complex, Karachi. Central Punjab enter the match after securing a draw against Sindh on the back of second innings centuries by the Akmal brothers. They were behind Sindh for the most part of the match as their star-studded batting line-up failed to live up to the expectations in the first innings. But, gutsy 122 and 166 by Umar and Kamran in the second innings ensured Central Punjab’s impeccable record stayed intact. Uplifted by their maiden win of the tournament, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will try to take a leaf out of Sindh’s book and look to strangle Central Punjab’s batting upfront. That it was their bowling unit which delivered the win is something which will further add to the excitement when the two top-ranked teams go toe-to-toe. Central Punjab captain Ahmed Shehzad said: “We are going to make sure that we don’t repeat the mistakes we made in the last game. Yes, there were hiccups, but we are learning every game and improving day-by-day. “Our players are responding brilliantly under pressure. The beauty of first-class cricket is it provides you sessions to bounce back in the match. Sindh were ahead of us for two-and-a-half days after which we came back strongly with both bat and ball. “We are at the backend of the first-class season now and we have been playing for two-three months so it is not about doing nets anymore. We want our players to be mentally relaxed and strong when we play Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who have recently started to pick up form.” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa head coach Kabir Khan said: “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has had a decent run in the season. Our batsmen and bowlers were delivering and we often found ourselves in control of the matches, but we weren’t able to translate that into win. “However, we were the only side that drew all their games and we knew that a win in the latter stage of the tournament will provide us a boost. Central Punjab have been going well but that we have secured a comprehensive victory before our match against them has given us confidence as a unit. “This year’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy has been very competitive and the two top teams on the points table playing at this stage of the tournament is going to add to the excitement for our next fixture.” Southern Punjab v Sindh, National Stadium, Karachi Sindh, placed fifth on the points table, need a win to stay alive in the tournament. But, that they are facing a side to whom they have lost previously is bound to add to the pressure in a match which will be live-streamed on the PCB’s YouTube channel. Sindh made an impressive comeback, putting up performances in both batting and bowling departments, in the last round after their loss to Northern, who then were languishing at the bottom of the points table. Four of their batsmen scored half-centuries, including captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, with the bowling unit, spearheaded by Tabish Khan, tightening the screws around the Central Punjab batsmen. They will look to build on their performance in the last match against third-ranked Southern Punjab, who succeeded in securing a draw against Northern after being forced to follow-on thanks to Umar Siddiq’s brilliant second innings century, which was supported by half-centuries from Zeeshan Ashraf and Sohaib Maqsood. So, along with working out the strategy to ensure the highest run-getter of the tournament, Sami Aslam, is not allowed the time to adjust, Sarfaraz will also have to draw plans for Umar, Zeeshan and Sohaib. Sindh captain Sarfaraz Ahmed said: “We realise that they have a strong batting line-up and Sami Aslam is in good form. We aim to get their wickets early on which will help us in keeping the flow of runs in check. “It is obviously important for us to win from here to stay alive in the tournament. We have had close games but haven’t been able to cross the line. We are getting closer, but our target remains to win the next two matches.” Southern Punjab captain Bilawal Bhatti said: “We have an upper hand over Sindh as we have beaten them by a big margin [an innings and 129 runs] when the last time we came face to face. “Our batsmen are in prime form which is a good omen. Sami Aslam is having a wonderful season. Unfortunately he couldn’t get going in the last match. But, it is heartening to see other batsmen around him like Zeeshan Ashraf, who has graduated from Second XI, and Umar Siddiq, who couldn’t get a good start to the season, are among the runs now. “If a side’s top three or four batsmen start putting up runs consistently it makes life easy for the bowlers. Our spinners have been doing well, with Left-arm-spinner Mohammad Irfan taking wickets almost every match. Pitches in Karachi are useful for the spinners, but the sea-breeze provides assistance to the pacers as well in the last session of the day. “It is going to be an exciting match and we are looking forward to it.” Balochistan v Northern, UBL Sports Complex, Karachi Northern followed up their maiden win of the season in the seventh round with an imposing performance against Southern Punjab at KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi. Their batting line-up scored 463 runs at an impressive run-rate of 4.22 and their bowlers, by taking 14 wickets, tightened the screws to enforce a follow-on. They play Balochistan, who are at the bottom of the points table after a crushing defeat, and will look to make the most of the pressure on the Imran Farhat-led side. Like Sindh, Balochistan have to win their last two matches to stay in contention. There was, however, a silver lining for Balochistan from the previous match as Mohammad Asghar recorded six for 121 – fifth best bowling figures in an innings this tournament – as he continues to impress at the first-class level. His captain will be pinning hopes on him to deliver come Monday. Balochistan captain Imran Farhat said: “We have had a good run with the bat and it was the first time in the tournament that our batting collapsed. Though our batsmen have delivered, it is our bowling which has not really clicked as a unit, which is pertinent to win first-class matches.“The next two games are important for us and we awill go in those games with the mindset of winning them.” Northern captain Nauman Ali said: “We realise another win here will consolidate our position on the points table. For this very purpose, we have travelled to Karachi two days earlier to get acclimatised to the conditions. “We desperately needed a win when we entered the seventh round and that match against Sindh has gelled us as a unit. Unfortunately, due to bad light in Rawalpindi, we lost overs and it rained on the final day because of which couldn’t win despite enforcing follow-on.“But, the mood in the camp is great and we are looking forward to our next match.” Pre-match press conferences at National Stadium, Karachi On Sunday, a squad member from each of the six teams will hold pre-match press conferences in the press conference area on the third floor of the National Stadium, Karachi, from 11am onwards. Upcoming fixtures (25-28 Nov) Balochistan v Northern, UBL Sports Complex, Karachi Southern Punjab v Sindh, National Stadium, Karachi Central Punjab v Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, NBP Sports Complex, Karachi

Rohail’s century earns Pakistan ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2019 trophy Abdullah Asjad ISLAMABAD:-Rohail Nazir’s sparkling century helped Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 77 runs in the final of the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2019 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday. According to available information from Mirpur, Bangladesh, after being put into bat, the openers Omair Bin Yousuf (4 off 15 balls) and Haider (26 off 23 balls) fell early leaving Pakistan 41 for two in the eighth over. After the departure of the opening pair, Imran Rafiq and Rohail Nazir got together and contributed a 117-run partnership for the third wicket. Imran’s 62 off 88 balls included four fours and two sixes. Rohail was top scorer with a 111-ball 113, laced with 12 fours and three sixes. Saud Shakeel played a captain’s innings and contributed a quick-fire 42 off 40 balls to help his side reach 301 for six in 50 overs. For Bangladesh, Sumon Khan picked three wickets for 75 runs, while Hasan Mahmud grabbed two wickets. Chasing 302, Bangladesh were never in the hunt and were bundled out for 224 in 43.3 overs. Afif Hossain coming to bat at number five, top-scored with a 53-ball 49, hitting four fours and a six. The home team captain Nazmul Hossain’s innings of 46 off 53 balls, and Mahedi Hasan's 42 off 45 balls went in vain. For Pakistan, Mohammad Hasnain took three wickets for 32 runs in 8.3 overs. Khushdil Shah and Saif Badar chipped in with two wickets apiece for 39 and 27 runs, respectively. Wicket-Keeper batsman Rohail Nazir for his century was named the player of the final. Scores in brief: Pakistan v Bangladesh, Final, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur Pakistan 301-6, 50 overs (Rohail Nazir 113, Imran Rafiq 62, Saud Shakeel42; Sumon Khan 3-75, Hasan Mahmud 2-52) Bangladesh 224 all out, 43.3 overs (Afif Hossain 49, Nazmul Hossain 46, Mahedi Hasan 42; Mohammad Hasnain 3-32, Khushdil Shah 2-39, Saif Badar 2-27) Result: Pakistan won by 77 runs Player of the match: Rohail Nazir (Pakistan)

28 U19 cricketers invited for a six-week High Performance Skill and Training Programme at NCA  SB News Lahore (November 22, 2019):-Twenty-eight U19 cricketers have been invited for a six-week High Performance Skill and Training Programme at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Lahore.  The programme, which commences from Monday, 25 November, is designed to enhance the fitness and cricketing skills of the players ahead of the next year’s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa. The 28 players are selected by the junior selection committee, which is headed by Saleem Jaffer. Players born on or after 1 September 2000 are eligible for participation. The players who are busy in international/domestic matches will join the camp later. Names of players: Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (Balochistan), Abu Huraira (Balochistan), Akhtar Shah (Balochistan), Amir Ali (Sindh), Amir Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Ammad Butt Jr. (Central Punjab), Arish Ali Khan (Sindh), Haider Ali (Northern), Haris Javed Khan (Southern Punjab), Haseeb Ullah (Balochistan), Jahanzeb Sultan (Sindh), Mohammad Abbas Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Haris (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Huraira Malik (Central Punjab), Mohammad Irfan Khan (Central Punjab), Mohammad Junaid (Balochistan), Mubashir Khan (Northern), Muhammad Aamir Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Muhammad Basit (Southern Punjab), Muhammad Makki (Sindh), Muhammad Shehzad (Southern Punjab), Muhammad Taha (Sindh), Muhammad Waseem Jr. (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Naseem Shah (Central Punjab), Qasim Akram (Central Punjab), Rohail Nazir (Northern), Saim Ayub (Sindh) and Shiraz Khan (Northern)

56th BoG meeting in Lahore on Friday  SB News LAHORE:-The 56th meeting of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Board of Governors will be held on Friday, 22 November, at 3pm at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.  Some of the matters that will be discussed are:  i)                    Chairman and CEO’s reports ii)                  Model constitution for Cricket Associations iii)                Creation and Demarcation of the first City Cricket Associations iv)                Approval of constitution for the Pakistan Deaf Cricket Association v)                  Updates on PCB Strategic Plan, Bugti Stadium, Pakistan v Sri Lanka Test series and HBL Pakistan Super League 2020

Sana Mir takes break from international cricket  Abdullah Asjad ISLAMABAD (November 20, 2019):-Sana Mir will miss next month’s ICC Women’s Championship ODIs and T20Is against England after deciding to take a break from international cricket.  In a statement, Sana Mir said: “I have decided to take a break from international cricket and, as such, will not be available for selection for next month’s series against England. I will utilise this time to plan and reset my future objectives and targets.  “My best wishes will remain with the Pakistan national women’s team in the series against England and I am sure they’ll produce their best cricket.” The 20-probable training camp for the ODIs and T20I series will commence at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre in Karachi from 21 November, while the squads will be announced on 27 November.  The team will depart for Kuala Lumpur on November 30.  ICC Women’s Championship (seventh round schedule):  9 Dec – First ODI (ICC Women’s Championship), Kinrara Oval  12 Dec – Second ODI (ICC Women’s Championship), Kinrara Oval  14 Dec – Third ODI (ICC Women’s Championship), Kinrara Oval  17 Dec – First T20I, Kinrara Oval  19 Dec – Second T20I, Kinrara Oval  20 Dec – Third T20I, Kinrara Oval

Southern Punjab 149 for two in reply of Northern’s 463 for seven  Abdullah Asjad ISLAMABAD:-Batsmen continued to dominate on the second day of the four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture between Northern and Southern Punjab at Rawalpindi’s KRL Stadium.  Hammad Azam’s sixth first-class century propelled Northern to 463 for seven, scored at an impressive run-rate of 4.22, and, in their reply, the tourists made 149 runs for the loss of two wickets at the back of half-centuries from Umar Siddiq and Zeeshan Ashraf.  Hammad scored an unbeaten 100 after resuming his innings on 48. The all-rounder crafted a 109-run stand for the sixth-wicket with his overnight partner Jamal Anwar, who made 44 from 106 balls. The 28-year-old cracked six fours and two sixes in his 154-ball stay at the crease and also knitted a 66-run partnership with his side’s captain, Nauman Ali (37). The Northern declared their innings with the fall of Nauman’s wicket.  With the scores of 90 and 73 on day one, Umar Amin and Ali Sarfraz had provided impetus to Northern to target an imposing first innings score. Northern bagged five batting points – the maximum – while Southern Punjab managed two points for taking seven wickets. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Irfan returned his second five-wicket haul of the tournament taking five wickets for 158 runs in 38.4 overs.  Southern Punjab, in reply, lost Sami Aslam (nine), top run-getter of the season, early but Umar and Zeeshan stitched a timely 116-run stand until the latter perished for a 101-ball 57 – which was studded with nine boundaries. Opener Umar, who has to date scored 58 from 121 balls and has hit six fours, and Irfan (15) were at the crease when curtains were drawn on the second day’s play. For Northern, Waqas Ahmed and Shadab Khan took a wicket each.  Scores in Brief:  Northern 463-7d, 109.4 overs (Hammad Azam 100 not out, Umar Amin 90, Ali Sarfaraz 73; Mohammad Irfan 5-158)  Southern Punjab 149-2, 42 overs (Umar Siddiq 58 not out, Zeeshan Ashraf 57)  ………………………………………………………………………………. Tabish takes five to give Sindh advantage over Central Punjab SB News KARACHI (November, 19 2019):-Pacer Tabish Khan took a five-wicket haul while Khurram Manzoor and Jahid Ali scored half centuries to give Sindh the upper hand against leaders Central Punjab on day two of the four-day eight round Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class match being played at the National Stadium in Karachi on Tuesday.  Sindh enjoyed a slender nine runs lead on the first innings after they ended the day on 255 for four with Fawad Alam (42) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (39) having put on 65 for the unbeaten fifth wicket partnership. Earlier Tabish took five wickets for 85 to help bowl out Central Punjab for 246 in the morning session. It was Tabish’s 37th five wicket haul in a first-class career of 126 matches and 565 wickets. Punjab had resumed on 216 for seven with Usman Salahuddin on exactly 50 but at the total of 234, Tabish trapped him leg before for 57 from 155 balls, Sohail Khan then dismissed the other overnight batsman, Ehsan Adil for 23 runs. Tabish also picked up the wicket of Waqas Maqsood to end the visitors innings.  Sindh collected full three bowling points for bowling Central Punjab out inside 110 overs, while Central Punjab had to settle for one batting point. Sindh winless in the tournament were given a solid start by openers Khurram (85 from 118 balls) and Jahid (72 from 175 balls) who put on 140 runs.  Khurram in particular after a cautious opened up to play some big shots against the pace bowlers and spinners, Zafar Gohar and off-spinner Bilal Asif who finished with three for 64. But his eagerness to get boundaries also led to Khurram’s downfall when he holed out to long on to give Bilal his first wicket, the right-hander smashed 11 fours and one six. Bilal also bowled Shehzar Mohammad for two to rock the home side and his third victim was Jahid who went after a patient knock bowled by a straight one.  Seasoned pacer, Aizaz Cheema was the only Central Punjab pacer to enjoy success when he had Saad Ali caught behind by Kamran Akmal for seven. The experienced duo of Fawad and captain, Sarfaraz took control in the final session for a productive partnership with the latter hitting five fours in his unbeaten 52 balls innings.  Scores in brief:  Central Punjab 246 all out, 94.3 overs (Kamran Akmal 59, Usman Salahuddin 57, Ahmed Shehzad 48; Tabish Khan 5-85, Anwar Ali 2-27, Sohail Khan 2-51)  Sindh 255 for 4, 72.3 overs  (Khurram Manzoor 85, Jahid Ali 72, Fawad Alam 42 not out; Bilal Asif 3-64