Karachi Blues claimed the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title on Friday, defeating defending champions Sialkot by a convincing margin of 218 runs in the five-day final at Gaddafi Stadium. The win marks the 10th title for Karachi Blues, further extending Karachi’s legacy, with teams from the city now having won the prestigious domestic tournament 22 times.
Sialkot began the final day under immense pressure at 12 without loss, requiring another 521 runs to chase down a record-breaking target of 533. Their resistance did not last long against an attack that remained increasingly disciplined throughout the innings.
The opening breakthrough came when Saqib Khan trapped Azan Owais lbw for 11 with the scoreboard at 35. Mohammad Hurairah followed soon afterwards, dismissed for 39 by Mohammad Umar as Sialkot slipped to 81 for two. The defending champions briefly steadied through Abdul Rehman, but his dismissal for 18 at 121 by Abdullah Fazal triggered another collapse.
Saqib Khan continued to play a decisive role, removing Mohsin Riaz and Abdullah Shafiq in quick succession. Abdullah, who top-scored in the top order with 59, became Saqib’s third wicket, leaving Sialkot in deep trouble at 144. His dismissal also signaled the mounting difficulty of navigating both scoreboard pressure and a disciplined bowling unit.
A fightback came from the pairing of Afzal Manzoor and Hamza Nazar, who added 112 runs for the sixth wicket in an effort to prolong the contest. Afzal’s 63, highlighted by 13 boundaries, brought temporary hope before Rameez Aziz removed him. Hamza followed soon after for 56, caught off Mushtaq Ahmed, reducing the defending champions to 281 for seven.
Sialkot’s lower order offered little resistance. Hasan Ali contributed 25 before becoming Mushtaq Ahmed’s second wicket at 304. Saqib Khan then cleaned up the tail with the final two wickets, dismissing Muhammad Ali for six and bowling Hasnain for a duck. He finished with remarkable figures of 5 for 86 in the innings. Having claimed four wickets in the first innings, he concluded the tournament with a total of 47 wickets, emerging as one of the standout performers.
All-rounder Abdullah Fazal was named Player of the Match for composing match-defining scores of 88 and 114 across both innings, providing Karachi Blues with the foundation that shaped the final.
Karachi Blues’ win represents a significant statement in domestic cricket, both in strength of performance and historical relevance. Their ability to combine batting depth with consistent, wicket-taking spells allowed them to dominate key phases, particularly when defending a large total on a pressure-filled final day.
The result closes a highly competitive domestic season and reinforces Karachi Blues’ position as one of the most successful and stable sides in Pakistan’s first-class structure.
