Centuries and Collapses Mark Opening Day of Seventh Round
The seventh round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2025-26 kicked off across four Pakistani cities, delivering a day packed with stellar batting performances and decisive bowling spells. Day one was highlighted by three magnificent centuries and one impressive five-wicket haul, setting a competitive tone for the matches.
Faisalabad's Batting Power on Display in Abbottabad
At the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Faisalabad's emerging batting duo put on a spectacular show against Islamabad. Muhammad Awais Zafar remained unbeaten on a powerful 138 runs, facing just 139 deliveries and smashing 16 fours and five sixes. He was ably supported by Faham-ul-Haq, who crafted a patient 109 from 232 balls, including 18 boundaries.
This partnership was crucial for Faisalabad, who had found themselves in a spot of trouble at 111-3 after choosing to bat first. The pair stitched together a massive 188-run stand for the fourth wicket, propelling their team to a commanding 322-4 at stumps. For Faham, this was his second first-class century in just five innings, while Awais celebrated his sixth first-class hundred.
Bowlers Strike Back in Other Matches
Meanwhile, at the same venue, Karachi Blues had a mixed day. They were bowled out for 258 runs, largely thanks to an unbeaten 89 from Danish Aziz and a quickfire 43 from Shan Masood. However, their bowler Saqib Khan fought back valiantly, taking three wickets for just 14 runs in seven overs to leave Abbottabad reeling at 31-3 by the end of the day's play.
In Islamabad, left-arm spinner Ali Usman was the star for Sialkot, claiming a five-wicket haul (5-98) that triggered a dramatic batting collapse for Multan. From a comfortable position of 188-2, Sialkot was bundled out for 288. Multan ended the day at 63-2, still trailing by a significant 225 runs.
The action in Peshawar saw Salman Khan Jnr score his third first-class century (114), forming a strong 156-run partnership with Khushdil Shah (95) to guide FATA to 271-6 against Bahawalpur. In Rawalpindi, a 12-wicket day concluded with Lahore Whites at 30-2 in response to Peshawar's total of 245, which was set up by a collective effort from their spin trio.
The first day of the seventh round has firmly set the stage for an exciting continuation of Pakistan's premier domestic cricket competition.
