Bahawalpur Region pulled off a great comeback to defeat Karachi Region Blues by 8 wickets in the 24th match of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2025-26 at Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar. After being bowled out for just 115 in their first innings, Bahawalpur fought back strongly with Saad Khan and Mohammad Ammar leading an unbeaten chase on the final day.
The match finished on Saturday, November 1, 2025, with Bahawalpur chasing down a target of 213 runs. Saad Khan remained unbeaten on 103 runs off 137 balls with 17 boundaries, while Mohammad Ammar scored 70 not out from 164 deliveries. The pair put together a match-winning partnership that guided their team to victory with 8 wickets in hand.
Match Scorecard
| Team | 1st Innings | 2nd Innings | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karachi Region Blues | 217 (56.3 overs) | 110 (37.5 overs) | Lost by 8 wickets |
| Bahawalpur Region | 115 (33 overs) | 215/2 (64.1 overs) | Won by 8 wickets |
Target: 213 runs
Venue: Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar
Date: October 30 – November 1, 2025
Top Performers
| Player | Team | Role | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saad Khan | Bahawalpur | Batsman | 103* (137 balls, 17 fours) in 2nd innings; 61 (90 balls) in 1st innings |
| Mohammad Ammar | Bahawalpur | Batsman | 70* (164 balls, 6 fours) in 2nd innings |
| Mohammad Azab | Bahawalpur | Bowler | 5/70 in 1st innings; 2/29 in 2nd innings (7 wickets total) |
| Omair Yousuf | Karachi Blues | Batsman | 70 (120 balls) in 1st innings; 76 (113 balls) in 2nd innings |
| Saqib Khan | Karachi Blues | Bowler | 4/42 in 1st innings |
Key Moments
- Karachi’s Strong Start: Saad Baig (73) and Omair Yousuf (70) helped Karachi Blues post 217 in their first innings, with a 125-run partnership for the second wicket.
- Azab’s Five-Wicket Haul: Mohammad Azab took 5 wickets for 70 runs to keep Karachi Blues under 250 runs in the first innings.
- Bahawalpur Collapse: Bahawalpur crumbled to 115 all out in just 33 overs, giving away a 102-run first innings lead. Saqib Khan took 4 wickets.
- Karachi’s Second Innings Struggle: Despite Omair Yousuf’s fighting 76, Karachi Blues were bowled out for just 110 runs. Gulfam Aziz took 3 wickets for 27 runs.
- Bahawalpur’s Match-Winning Chase: After losing two early wickets at 49/2, Saad Khan and Mohammad Ammar built an unbeaten 166-run partnership to guide Bahawalpur home.
- Saad Khan’s Century: Saad Khan scored his maiden first-class century, finishing unbeaten on 103 to seal victory for his team.
Match Analysis
This match showed the importance of fighting back in multi-day cricket. Bahawalpur started poorly with their first innings collapse, falling 102 runs behind. However, their bowlers kept them in the game by restricting Karachi Blues to just 110 in the second innings.
The turning point came when Saad Khan and Mohammad Ammar came together in the second innings chase. Both batsmen played patient cricket, wearing down the Karachi bowlers. Saad Khan played the aggressor role with his 103, while Mohammad Ammar provided solid support from the other end.
For Karachi Blues, the batting collapse in the second innings proved costly. Only Omair Yousuf showed resistance with his 76, but he got no support from the other batsmen. Nine Karachi batsmen failed to reach double figures in their second innings.
What’s Next
This victory keeps Bahawalpur in contention in the tournament standings. They will look to build on this momentum in their upcoming matches. Karachi Region Blues, who qualified through the Hanif Mohammad Trophy, will need to regroup quickly and work on their batting consistency.
The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2025-26 continues with more exciting matches across Pakistan’s premier first-class venues. The tournament features 10 teams competing for the championship, with the final scheduled for November 29 to December 3, 2025.
Sources:
- Match scorecards provided
- The Nation Pakistan (November 1, 2025)
- Geo Super TV coverage
- Pakistan Observer reports
- ESPNcricinfo Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2025-26 schedule