QeA Trophy: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa down Central Punjab by five wickets

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa strolled to a five-wicket win over Central Punjab on the final day of their fourth round first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture at the UBL Sports Complex on Monday. This is Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s second win of the tournament.

Adil Amin stroked his 17th first-class half-century after resuming the day on 39. The 29-year old right-handed batsman smashed 10 boundaries in his 53 off 106 balls.

Mehran Ibrahim (13) was dismissed before he could add another run to his overnight score following which Zohaib Khan and wicketkeeper-batsman Rehan Afridi took Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the line.

Zohaib was unbeaten on 14, while Rehan’s 36 not out was studded with four fours and two sixes.

The two Khyber Pakhtunkhwa wickets were taken y Bilawal Iqbal, who returned two for 31. Ahmed Safi Abdullah, after accounting for three batsmen yesterday, finished with three for 87.

This is Central Punjab’s third defeat in four matches. The title defenders drew the other game and are positioned at the bottom of the points table.

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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa pocketed 23 points (16 for outright win, one for batting and six for bowling) from the match, while Central Punjab added only five points (all for bowling).

The fifth round of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will run from 26-29 November.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will travel to National Stadium to take on Northern in a broadcast match. UBL Sports Complex will stage the first Punjab Derby of this season as Central Punjab and Southern Punjab will come face to face at the venue.