Record-breaking Ghulam leads Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s victory push

During the process, he broke the record for most runs in a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy season

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 300 and 243 for 5 (Ghulam 104*, Israrullah 63, Maqsood 2-52) lead Central Punjab 257 (Akram 60, Salahuddin 60, Shah 4-73, Usman 3-32) by 286 runs

After securing a first-innings lead of 43, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa extended it to 286 at the close of day three, taking control of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final at the National Stadium in Karachi. Kamran Ghulam led the way for KP, scoring his second fifty-plus score of the match, ending day three on 104 not out. This was his fifth ton this season, and during the process he also broke the record for most runs in a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy season, pushing his tally up to 1245.

Opening batsman Israrullah also made his second fifty of the game, leaving Central Punjab facing an uphill task.

CP added 45 to their overnight 212 for 8 before they were dismissed on the third day. Qasim Akram was the joint-highest scorer for them, staying unbeaten on 60; Usman Salahuddin had also hit 60 before he had fallen on the second day.

Waqas Maqsood then struck early for CP, removing Fakhar Zaman for 4. Five overs later, Bilawal Iqbal got No.3 Zohaib Khan for 5, but Israrullah and Ghulam combined again, this time putting on an 88-run partnership. Ghulam hit 16 boundaries while Israrullah struck 10. Akram then pitched in with the ball, cutting short Israrullah’s innings at 63.

Ghulam brought up his century off the 196th ball he faced, from CP captain Hasan Ali, when he pinched a single via an overthrow.

Adil Amin and Rehan Afridi fell late in the day, but CP still have plenty of work to do. To add to their concerns, their regular wicketkeeper Ali Shan fell sick and Muhammad Akhlaq kept wicket in his place right from the start of KP’s second innings.