Karachi Region Blues crushed Islamabad Region by an innings and 104 runs in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. After being put into bat first, Islamabad was bowled out for just 161, with only Shamyl Hussain (85) putting up a strong fight. In reply, Karachi Blues posted a massive total of 368, thanks largely to a superb century from captain Saud Shakeel, who scored 130. Facing a huge deficit, Islamabad’s second innings collapsed for 103 runs, handing Karachi a dominant victory within two days.
Scorecard Table
| Team | 1st Innings | 2nd Innings | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Islamabad Region | 161 (37.2 Ov) | 103 (26.3 Ov) | Lost by an innings and 104 runs |
| Karachi Region Blues | 368 (71.5 Ov) | – | Won |
Top Performers Table
| Player | Team | Role | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saud Shakeel | Karachi Blues | Captain / Batter | 130 runs off 164 balls |
| Kashif Bhatti | Karachi Blues | Bowler | 8 wickets in the match (5/61 & 3/15) |
| Mohammad Asghar | Karachi Blues | Bowler | 4 wickets for 34 runs in 1st innings |
| Shamyl Hussain | Islamabad | Batter | 85 runs off 90 balls in 1st innings |
Key Moments of the Match
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Islamabad’s Top-Order Collapse: After a bright start from Shamyl Hussain, Islamabad lost their last 9 wickets for only 48 runs, collapsing to 161 all out.
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Karachi’s Strong Opening Stand: Openers Saad Baig (46) and Abdullah Fazal (73) set a powerful platform with a 116-run partnership, replying strongly to Islamabad’s low total.
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Saud Shakeel’s Commanding Century: Captain Saud Shakeel anchored the Karachi innings with a patient yet aggressive 130, ensuring his team built a match-winning lead.
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Islamabad’s Second Innings Failure: Chasing a massive deficit of 207 runs, Islamabad’s batting lineup fell apart for 103, with no batter scoring more than 35.
Match Analysis and What’s Next
This was a completely one-sided match dominated by Karachi Region Blues from the second day. The decision by Islamabad to bat first after winning the toss backfired immediately. While young opener Shamyl Hussain played a brilliant knock of 85, he received very little support from the rest of the top order. The spin duo of Kashif Bhatti and Mohammad Asghar was too much for the Islamabad batters, sharing 9 wickets between them in the first innings.
Karachi’s reply was built on a solid team batting performance. After the openers provided a quick start, captain Saud Shakeel took control. His innings of 130 was the backbone of their 368-run total, giving them a decisive first-innings lead of 207 runs. All-rounder Kashif Bhatti was the star with the ball, taking a five-wicket haul in the first innings and another three in the second to complete a magnificent all-round match.
For Islamabad, this loss will be a cause for concern. Their batting was fragile in both innings, and the absence of their first-innings top scorer, Shamyl Hussain, in the second innings due to injury was a significant blow. They will need to regroup quickly and find more consistency from their batting unit.
What’s Next?
Karachi Region Blues, boosted by this massive victory and 28 points, will be full of confidence for their next fixture. Islamabad Region, with only 4 points from this match, must go back to the drawing board to fix their batting problems before they face their next opponent in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.