Baluchistan secure first-innings lead

The game between Baluchistan and Federal Areas at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground seems destined to finish in a draw, but Baluchistan managed to secure a 75-run first-innings lead on the third day. They finished the day 172 runs ahead with seven wickets remaining. Federal Areas had made a solid start in their innings, and reached 190 for 3, before a couple of quick strikes by Baluchistan's spinners pegged them back. Umar Amin carried on from his overnight score of 37 and reached 82, but the middle and lower order did not add enough runs as Federal Areas conceded the lead. The other overnight batsman Raheel Majeed was trapped lbw on the third morning by fast bowler Abdur Rauf. The spinners then took over, with left-armer Zulfiqar Babar taking 4 for 53 to run through the middle order. Rauf came back to get rid of the tail and ended with figures of 4 for 85.

Sind reached 267 for 3 in response to Punjab's 515 on the third day at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The match is poised interestingly because both teams have a chance to gain points for the first-innings lead: Punjab need seven wickets, while Sind need 248 more runs. The other possibility is Sind do not pass Punjab's score but do not get all out either, in which case the points will be shared. After Punjab had plundered runs on the wicket in the first two days, it was Sind's batsmen's turn on Monday. But they ran into trouble early on as two quick wickets fell and then Fawad Alam was forced to retire hurt. Captain Khalid Latif and Hasan Raza bailed them out, both scoring half-centuries, and then wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed came in and got a fifty of his own. Raza was batting on 75 not out and Sarfraz 68 not out at stumps.