FAISALABAD: Northern’s stand-in captain and left-arm spinner Nauman Ali decimated Southern Punjab’s (SP) batting line-up before enforcing the first follow-on of the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT) 2022-23. In the first round fixture of the ongoing QEAT, SP found themselves in immense trouble as Northern after accumulating a mammoth 529, bundled out the side for a paltry 269.

SP’s opening batter Zain Abbas put up a fight with his magnificent 120, while the rest of the batters failed to make an impact as Nauman-led Northern bowling attack extended their domination. Nauman led the way by claiming four wickets, while Musa Khan and Mehran Mumtaz bagged two each.

Northern captain Nauman then further added to the misery of SP by enforcing the first follow-on of the ongoing edition of QEAT as they trailed by 117 runs. Coming out to bat again after the follow-on SP managed to conclude the third day at 143/2, while Usman Salahuddin (40) and Imran Rafiq (34) will resume the proceedings on the final day. Mubasir Khan, who bolstered Northern to a massive total in the first inning by smashing 170, removed both SP openers – Umar Siddiq (35) and Zain (32). At the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Fawad Alam stole the show with his 42nd first-class century, returning unbeaten on 127 and powered Sindh to put up a fighting total of 368 in reply to Central Punjab’s (CP) 428.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 30 2022

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