Sports Desk
Karachi: Befitting centuries by Sarmad Bhatti and Hammad Azam gave Northern a firm grip over Sindh in the third round first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture at the UBL Sports Complex.
Northern posted a mammoth 423-run target while Sindh lost their three wickets for 77 runs at stumps on Day 3.
Sarmad scored a brilliant 108 as the left-handed batsman recorded his fourth first-class century. He smashed 13 fours and two sixes in his 226-ball innings.
Sarmad partnered with all-rounder Hammad Azam and posted 156-run stand for the sixth wicket. Hammad made an unbeaten 120-ball 100. He strokes 12 fours and three sixes. Last year’s runners-up declared their second innings at 311 for six.
Sindh lost their three key batsmen Khurram Manzoor (15), Sharjeel Khan (12) and Asad Shafiq (1) early in the chase. At stumps, Saud Shakeel was batting at 46. Aamer Jamal, Nauman Ali and Mohammad Nawaz picked a wicket each. Sindh requires 346 more runs, while Northern are seven wickets away.
In the broadcast match, played at the National Stadium. Balochistan managed to score 170/7 by the close of play with Kashif Bhatti, who scored a fighting unbeaten half-century in the first innings, and Usama Mir not out on two and one respectively.
Balochistan’s Ali Waqas and Taimur Ali were the notable run-getters, scoring 39 and 34 respectively. while all-rounder Amad Butt followed up his career-best innings figures of six for 57 with a 50-ball 26. For CP, Waqar Maqsood and Ehsan Adil picked two wickets each.
