Northern’s Faizan Riaz, Mubasir Khan hit centuries on Quaid-e-Azam Trophy day three

Impressive centuries from youngsters Faizan Riaz and Mubasir Khan, followed by unbeaten half-centuries from Umar Amin and Nauman Ali had Northern in a commanding position over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the conclusion of day three of the first round Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Both Faizan and Mubasir converted their overnight half-centuries into tons as their 168-run alliance for the fifth wicket lifted Northern from a paltry 82 for four to 250 for five.

Faizan scored 115 off 262 (10 fours) to record his 11^th century, while 19-year-old Mubasir, playing his only fourth first-class match, brought up his second century with a 184-ball 112, which was studded with 15 fours.

Umar and Nauman, the captain of Northern, built on the good work done by the youngsters as they added 159 runs for the undefeated seventh wicket. Umar was six runs away from what will be his 23^rd century, while Nauman, who will be eying his maiden first-class century, had made 85 off 93 (nine fours and two sixes).

Northern were 135 runs ahead Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as they had accumulated 472 for the loss of six wickets after playing 138 overs.

Northern added three more points to their bag and took their innings point to six as they had breached the 300-run mark by the completion of 100 overs. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, for taking five wickets, could bag only one point.

At Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium, Khurram Manzoor smashed 153 off 296 with the help of as many as 20 fours and a six to propel Sindh to 318 for eight against Balochistan. His overnight partnership, Saad Khan made 70 off 161 (nine fours).

The pair added 132 for the second wickets, before Raza-ul-Hasan, who took four wickets on Friday, dismissed Saad.

Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Hasan was the other notable run-getter with 43, while Balochistan’s Gohar Faiz and Amad Butt bagged two wickets each.

Ashiq Ali (seven) and Mir Hamza (three) will resume Sindh’s innings tomorrow, what will be the last day of the round.

Ahmed Shehzad made his second half-century of the match as Central Punjab were 138 for two in their second innings and 270 runs ahead Southern Punjab at Multan Cricket Stadium.

Ahmed was undefeated on 66, which he had gathered from 89 balls, and he was joined by Azhar Ali when umpires called stumps. Abid Ali followed up his first innings 158 with 41.

Earlier, Southern Punjab declared on 295 for nine with Tayyab Tahir being the top-scorer with 79.

Central Punjab’s Zafar Gohar took four wickets for 93. Ehsan Adil accounted for two batters.

For taking more than eight wickets inside 100 overs, Central Punjab added three bowling points (total seven points), while Southern Punjab took their total points tally to four, with the addition of two points.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elected to bat after winning the toss against Northern at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 337 all out, 105.1 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 71, Iftikhar Ahmed 51, Israrullah 50, Khalid Usman 39, Sajid Khan 32, Rehan Afridi 26; Musa Khan 5-78, Munir Riaz 2-45)

Northern 472-6, 138 overs (Faizan Riaz 115, Mubasir Khan 112, Umar Amin 94 not out, Nauman Ali 85, Nasir Nawaz 25; Sajid Khan 3-83, Imran Khan Snr 2-70)

Innings points – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa four (three batting, one bowling), Northern six (three batting, three bowling)

Balochistan elected to bat after winning the toss against Sindh at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad

Balochistan 402 all out, 133 overs (Imran Butt 104, Imam-ul-Haq 97, Bismillah Khan 74, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai 63, Ayyaz Tasawar 30; Mir Hamza 2-32, Mohammad Hasnain 2-47, Mohammad Asghar 2-111, Ashiq Ali 2-129)

Sindh 318-8, 123.3 overs (Khurram Manzoor 153, Saad Khan 70, Mohammad Hasan 43; Raza-ul-Hasan 4-127, Gohar Faiz 2-38, Amad Butt 2-44)

Innings Points – Balochistan five (three batting, two bowling), Sindh four (three batting, one bowling)

Toss uncontested, Southern Punjab elected to bowl against Central Punjab at Multan Stadium

Central Punjab 384 all out, 115.3 overs (Abid Ali 158, Ahmed Shehzad 63, Hussain Talat 52, Junaid Ali 27, Azhar Ali 25; Ali Usman 4-99, Aamer Yamin 2-60, Mohammad Ilyas 2-86) and 138-2, 30.5 overs (Ahmed Shehzad 66 not out, Abid Ali 41)

Southern Punjab 252-9d, 89.5 overs (Tayyab Tahir 79, Zia-ul-Haq 35, Azam Khan 29, Imran Rafiq 23, Naved Yasin 21; Zafar Gohar 4-93, Ehsan Adil 2-61)

Innings points – Central Punjab 7 (four batting, three bowling), Southern Punjab 4 (two batting, two bowling)