Rawalpindi-Gujranwala match ends in draw

Islamabad, Nov 25: Rawalpindi skipper Naseer Ahmed scored a swashbuckling 126 off 135 balls to help his side muster 274 for 4 in the second innings against Gujranwala as the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-I fixture ended in a draw at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Naseer's 140-minute innings contained 21 fours and a six. He shared a 135-run third wicket stand with opener Asif Mahmood who fell six short of the hundred mark.

The two came together at the double dismissal by right-arm medium pacer Basit Murtaza who removed opener Naveed Qureshi (17 off 48) and then trapped Test batsman Mohammad Wasim lbw for duck when the total was 70.

Asif and Naseer raised the total 205. Asif ran himself out for for 94 after facing 155 balls and smashing 13 boundaries during 190 minutes stay.

Asim Munir grabbed the prized scalp of Naseer. Debutant Noman Aman (21) and allrounder Yasir Arafat (4) remained not out. Basit took 2 for 45.

Earlier, Gujranwala's first innings was wrapped up at 303 as Yasir Arafat collected the remaining two wickets to provide Rawalpindi with the first innings lead points.

Basit Murtaza who resumed at 53 could add just three runs to his overnight score before being clean bowled, while tenth batsman debutant Adnan Farooq (38 off 82) added 20 runs coming back.

Yasir ended with 4 for 97 while debutant left-arm spinner Iftikhar Mahmood snatched 3 for 49.