Copyright pakobserver
LAHORE – The fourth round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2025-26 concluded with Peshawar and Sialkot winning their matches and going atop the points table. The other two games involving Multan and Bahawalpur and Karachi Blues and Lahore Whites ended in a draw, while Faisalabad, who have jumped to no.5 on the table, beat FATA on Sunday. The fifth round of the tournament will begin in Abbottabad, Islamabad, Peshawar and Rawalpindi on Thursday, October 30. Sialkot thrashed Islamabad by 311 runs early on day four after they took only 11 overs to wrap up the latter’s innings at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi. Islamabad, who began the day from an overnight score of 107-3, lost seven wickets for 49 runs as Athar Mehmood (4-66) took his tally of wickets to nine in the match, while Mohammad Ali picked up 4-29 in his 12 overs. Abbottabad fell 247 runs short against Peshawar at the Imran Khan Stadium as the home team dismissed visitors for 214 in 79.2 overs. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Irfan (3-28) and right-arm pacer Niaz Khan (3-43) shared six wickets among them. Resuming from an overnight score of 10 for no loss, Abbottabad kept losing wickets at regular intervals as no other batter apart from opener Yasir Khan (97) crossed the 20-run mark. The right-handed batter missed out on his second first-class ton as he fell prey to Niaz. The fixture between Karachi Blues and Lahore Whites ended in a stalemate after Saad Baig struck his second first-class century at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium. Resuming their second innings from an overnight score of 103-3 and a 71-run lead, Karachi Blues were bowled out for 360 in 97.3 overs. Saad, who had retired hurt on 59 on day three, returned to bat at 105-4 and struck his second ton in the tournament and also gathered 114 runs with batter Mohammad Usman Rahim (77) to take Karachi out of danger. Mohammad Hamza (27 not out) and Saqib Khan (24) also made the Lahore bowlers wait before the two teams decided to shake hands. Lahore Whites’ Mohammad Abbas (24-6-78-6) bagged his 50th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. Ubaid Shah dismissed two batters, finishing with six wickets in the match. At the Diamond Cricket Ground, Bahawalpur and Multan ran out of time after the former set a 279-run target for the latter. In reply, Multan only faced one over before the teams decided to shake hands for a draw. Earlier in the day, Bahawalpur started their second innings with a slim 39-run lead and were dismissed for 239 in 71.4 overs after slipping to 107-5 at one stage. Mohammad Ammar (68) and Saad Khan (40) stitched a 65-run stand after their team had lost openers for 41 runs. Multan’s left-arm spinner Ali Usman, who registered his fourth first-class five-for returning figures of 28-2-88-5, kept his team in the hunt for a win with quick strikes as Bahawalpur went from 106-2 to 107-5. Player of the match Saifullah Bangash then led his team to safety with a rearguard effort of 74 not out from 127 balls, hitting 10 fours as Mohammad Azab (7) held the fort from one end, facing 40 balls.
