As many as 90 wickets fell on day one (Monday) across five 2025/26 Quaid-e-Azam matches, Pakistan’s domestic red-ball tournament.
The second-last round of matches in the Quaid-e-Azam began on November 17, with games being held in Peshawar, Islamabad (two), Abbottabad, and Rawalpindi. As the day progressed, a similar pattern emerged from all five matches: low scores and spinners ruling the roost.
Four out of five teams were bowled out for 161 or fewer in their first innings, with three sides - Faisalabad, FATA and Islamabad - facing less than 40 overs. Bahawalpur made 140 in their first innings, but showed greater resistance, batting out 49.1 overs, with skipper Saifullah Bangash playing a rearguard innings of 12 off 95.
Peshawar were the only team to cross 200 batting first on day one, making 239 in 57.4 overs, with Abbas Ali contributing with 116. He was the only centurion of the day.
Match 36, Abbottabad vs Faisalabad
vs
- Ball by ball Over
90 wickets fall on Day 1 across five games
As many as 22 wickets fell during the Faisalabad-Abbottabad clash on day one alone, 18 of which were picked up by spinners. Khalid Usman picked up 7-42 in Faisalabad’s first innings, while Ali Asfand ended with 5-31 in Abbottabad’s innings. Faisalabad, batting again, finished the day on 97-2 in the second innings.
In the match between Bahawalpur and Lahore, the pacers were a bit more productive: Mohammad Abbas and Aamir Jamal picked up five wickets between them, while youngsters Muhammad Imran and Salman Hasan also shared three wickets. Of the 17 wickets to fall, nine were picked up by the slower bowlers.
The Sialkot-FATA match also saw both teams get bowled out on the first day, while against Peshawar, Multan were struggling at 27-5 in their second innings. Karachi were the only team to post above 250. Up against Islamabad’s 160, they were batting on 294-6 at the end of the day, with Saud Shakeel unbeaten on 88.
Overall, five spinners - all of them left-arm orthodox - picked up five-fors on Monday to dominate proceedings: Ali Usman (5-79), Khalid Usman (7-42), Ali Asfand (5-31), Asif Afridi (5-48), and Kashif Bhatti (5-61).
Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Round 8, Day 1 wickets
| Match | Wickets |
| Peshawar vs Multan | 15 |
| Abbottabad vs Faisalabad | 22 |
| Sialkot vs FATA | 20 |
| Bahawalpur vs Lahore Whites | 17 |
| Islamabad vs Karachi Blues | 16 |
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