Azhar, Kamran Rescue Central Punjab After Early Musa Scare

Azhar, Kamran rescue Central Punjab after early Musa scare

Central Punjab were 369 for five against Northern, thanks to a 235-run stand between Azhar Ali and Kamran Akmal, when the stumps were drawn on the first day’s play of the four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium

Faisalabad (Pakistan Point News - 21st September, 2019) Central Punjab were 369 for five against Northern, thanks to a 235-run stand between Azhar Ali and Kamran Akmal, when the stumps were drawn on the first day’s play of the four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium.

Coming together at the crease with the hosts on 134 for four, Test batsmen Azhar and Kamran weathered the storm with their centuries and put Central Punjab in a commanding position.

Azhar, not out on 110, hit eight fours in the 204 balls he faced today. Wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran struck 12 fours and four sixes in his 170-ball 157 before getting stumped off Nauman Ali’s bowling on the third ball of the 88th over, which ended the day’s play.

Northern’s decision to bowl first without contesting the toss paid dividends immediately as Musa Khan’s two quick wickets in the first session had Central Punjab reeling at 85 for three at Lunch.

The 19-year-old struck again in the day and brought a promising 52-run fourth-wicket partnership between Azhar and Saad Nasim (31) to an end.

Raza Hasan and Nauman, both left-arm spinners, were the other two bowlers to tick the wickets’ column by bagging a wicket each.

Scores in brief:

Central Punjab 369-5, 87.3 overs (Kamran Akmal 157, Azhar Ali 110, Saad Nasim 31, Rizwan Hussain, 30, Salman Butt 22; Musa Khan 3-57)