FATA, Sialkot, Multan, Abbottabad register victories in third round
PESHAWAR: The third round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT) 2025-26 concluded across four venues in three cities, with FATA, Sialkot, Multan and Abbottabad winning their respective matches.
At the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar, Karachi Blues suffered a humbling 184-run defeat at the hands of FATA on the final day of their third-round fixtures as the leaders were bowled out for a meagre 111 while chasing 296. Resuming their pursuit from 67/4, Karachi Blues could add 44 more to their overnight score for the loss of the remaining six wickets.
Number eight batter Mohammad Usman Rahim remained the top-scorer with a 39-ball 23, while Haroon Arshad (20), skipper Rameez Aziz (18) and Saad Baig (17) were the other to amass double figures.
Shahid Aziz led the bowling charge for FATA in the second innings, registering a five-wicket haul, while Sameen Gul chipped in with two scalps. In another third-round QEAT match, defending champions Sialkot crushed Lahore Whites by 284 runs on the final day.
At the start of the final day’s play, Lahore Whites resumed their 390-run pursuit from 18/1 and could add 87 more to their overnight score to ultimately get bowled out for a modest 105 in 35.5 overs. Wicketkeeper Junaid Ali remained the top-scorer with a 41-ball 23, while opening batter Abid Ali (17) was the next-best run-getter.
Mohammad Ali was the pick of the bowlers for Sialkot in the second innings, courtesy of his five-wicket haul. His efforts were backed by Athar Mehmood, who took three wickets, while Mohammad Hasnain and Amad Butt made one scalp apiece. At the Marghzar Cricket Ground in Islamabad, the home side succumbed to a 70-run defeat against Abbottabad despite Samad Bhatti’s anchoring century on the final day. Islamabad resumed their pursuit of the 524-run target through overnight centurion Rana Hamza Waheed and Mohammad Hammad Khan from a dominant position, with the scoreboard reading 234/2, but failed to carry forward the momentum as they could add 219 to their total and were thus bowled out for 453 in 114.1 overs.
Middle-order batter Samad Bhatti led Islamabad’s bowling charge on the final day, scoring 109 off 201 deliveries, laced with 13 boundaries, while Waheed, who could add five runs to his overnight tally, remained their top-scorer with 117 off 118 deliveries, studded with 18 fours and three sixes. Number eight batter Jawad Ali (61) added valuable runs down the order by registering an anchoring half-century, but his efforts were insufficient to lead his side to chase down the mammoth target. Khalid Usman was the standout bowler for Abbottabad in the second innings as he picked up five wickets for 115 runs in 39.1 overs, followed by Mohammad Adil and Israr Hussain with two each, while Aqib Khan made one strike.
At the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Multan comfortably chased down the 35-run target without losing a wicket to inflict a 10-wicket defeat on Faisalabad. The final day of the third-round QEAT match in Abbottabad got underway, with Faisalabad resuming their second innings from 223/5, trailing by 116 runs. Faisalabad eventually managed to neutralise the deficit, courtesy of Asim Ali Nasir’s anchoring century and wicketkeeper batter Ali Shan’s unbeaten fifty as they finished at 373 all out in 129.3 overs. For Multan, Mohammad Shan took three wickets, followed by Aamer Yamin and Ali Usman with two each, while Mohammad Jamshed and Sharoon Siraj chipped in with one apiece. Asim remained the top-scorer with 114 off 249 deliveries, comprising 16 fours and two sixes, while Ali made 77 not out from 221 balls. Despite their grit, Faisalabad could set a modest 35-run target for Multan, which they comfortably amassed in 6.5 overs, courtesy of openers Waqar Hussain (16) and Imran Butt (15).
For the unversed, the third round of the QEAT will run from October 24 to 27 across five venues in four cities. Staff Report
