Hanif Mohammad Trophy: Saad, Sadam put Hyderabad on top against Lahore Blues

Staff Report

KARACHI: Top-order batters Muhammad Sadam and Saad Khan scored anchoring centuries to put Hyderabad Region in a commanding position against Lahore Region Blues on the opening day of the second round of the Hanif Mohammad Trophy at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Hyderabad captain Noman Ali’s decision to bat first paid dividends as they finished the opening day at 361/2 in 84 overs. They, however, had a contrasting start to their innings as wicketkeeper batter Ali Shan (10) fell victim to Hunain Shah with just 34 runs on the board. Following the first blow, Saad and Sadam launched an astounding recovery by putting together 254 runs during their second-wicket partnership, which saw both batters amassing centuries.

The monumental stand eventually culminated when Sadam fell victim to Aamir Jamal after scoring 128 off 202 deliveries with the help of 18 boundaries. Saad, on the other hand, then joined forces with Mohammad Suleman, and the duo knitted an unbeaten 75-run partnership to retain the momentum in Hyderabad’s favour.

At the stumps, Saad was unbeaten on 164, having faced 222 deliveries and hitting 28 boundaries, while Suleman had scored 44 off 56 balls with the help of six fours. In another Group A match, Karachi Whites had amassed 75/0 in response to Quetta’s 216 all out. Opting to bat first, Quetta managed a modest total despite Bismillah Khan’s valiant century. The opening batter waged a lone battle with 103 off 148 deliveries, featuring 14 fours and a six. He also shared an anchoring 139-run partnership with wicketkeeper batter Haseebullah, who remained the other notable run-getter with his 45.

For Karachi Whites, Afnan Khan and Aarish Ali Khan took three wickets each, followed by Maaz Khurram with two, while Asad Akhtar made one scalp. At the stumps, Karachi Whites were comfortably placed at 75/0, trailing by 141 runs, with openers Jahanzaib Sultan and Saad Baig unbeaten on 40 and 30, respectively.

The remaining Group A fixture was played between Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Faisalabad at the Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur. Opting to bat first, the AJK finished the opening day at 286/8, courtesy of half-centuries from top-order batters Hasnain Shamir and Hasan Raza. Shamir remained the top scorer for AJK with a 177-ball 88, while Hasan made 78 off 142 deliveries. The duo also shared a 150-run partnership for the second wicket.

The duo was supported by middle-order batter Umar Hayat, who scored 41. Faham-ul-Haq was the standout bowler for Faisalabad, taking three wickets, followed by Ahmed Safi Abdullah and Asad Raza with two each, while Mudasar Zunair chipped in with one.

The Group B match, played at the National Bank Stadium here between Dera Murad Jamali and Multan, saw the former side accumulating 272/4, courtesy of opener Nasir Khan’s century. Nasir remained the top scorer with an unbeaten 131 off 257 deliveries, laced with nine fours and four sixes, while fellow opener Majid Ali contributed with a 116-ball 55. The duo also shared a 127-run partnership. For Multan, Arafat Minhas took two wickets, while Hasan Hafeez and Tahir Hussain bagged one apiece.

In another Group B fixture, FATA had amassed 86/4 after bowling out Karachi Blues for 220, courtesy of Asif Afridi’s six-wicket haul. Afridi dismissed six Karachi Blues batters for just 49 runs in 27.2 overs, while Mohammad Wasim Khan and Hayatullah contributed with two each. In response, FATA had a shaky start to their innings as Danish Aziz took three wickets to reduce them to 37/4 before Wasim and Adnan Khan launched a recovery.

The duo stitched an unbeaten 49-run partnership for the fifth wicket, propelling FATA to reduce the deficit to 134 runs. At the stumps, Wasim was unbeaten on 35, while Adnan had made 25 not out. The Group B game between Larkana and Rawalpindi, played at the State Bank Stadium here, was dominated by the bowlers as 16 wickets fell on the opening day. Batting first, Rawalpindi were bowled out for a modest 174 despite Mubasir Khan’s half-century as right-arm pacer Shahnawaz Dahani dismantled their batting unit with a six-wicket haul. Dahani registered sensational bowling figures of 6/52 in his 15.3 overs. He was supported by Saqlain Nawaz with two, while Mushtaq Ahmed and Shahzaib Aziz made one scalp apiece.

Mubasir remained the top-scorer for Rawalpindi with a 69-ball 52, while opening batter Yasir Khan made a notable contribution with 37 up the order. In response, Larkana could accumulate 107/6 until the conclusion of the opening day, trailing by 67 runs with four wickets in hand. Middle-order batter Ghulam Raza remained the top scorer with a 57-ball 28, while skipper Zahid Mehmood and Shahzaib were unbeaten on 25 and 17, respectively, at the conclusion of the first day’s play. For Rawalpindi, skipper Kashif Ali led the way with three wickets. Mehran Mumtaz contributed with two scalps, while Mohammad Faizan took one.