Former Pakistan Under-19 batter Azan Awais continued his excellent form with yet another hundred in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2025-26.
Azan Awais slams ninth first-class ton in 21st match
In response to Bahawalpur’s 511-9 declared in the first innings, Sialkot resumed the day at 41-0 and dominated throughout the day thanks to massive hundreds from Muhammad Hurraira (178) and Awais (156 not out). Awais continued to excel in his short first-class career, notching a century for the third game in a row, taking his total to nine tons from just 21 games (36 innings). His scores in these three matches have been 134 & 5, 123 & 12 and now 156 (batting).
The 326-run partnership between Awais and Hurraira is also Sialkot’s highest opening stand in first-class cricket, breaking the previous highest of 312 against Dera Murad Jamali in November 2024. Awais also played a hand in that effort, scoring 130 while Aashar Mehmood scored 172.
Sialkot finished the day on 375-1, with a draw seeming imminent going into the final day. Awais will have a chance to reach his second first-class double ton, having scored 203 not out against Peshawar last year.
Match 27, Bahawalpur vs Sialkot
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Awais breaks national record
Awais’ first-class average currently stands at 63.13 – the eighth-highest of all time and the best by any Pakistani (both among players with at least 2,000 first-class runs). He surpassed Fawad Alam’s previous national record of 54.86. Unbeaten on 156 at stumps, even if Awais falls on the last day without adding to his score, his average of 61.21 would remain Pakistan’s best by a significant margin.
Among active cricketers, Sarfaraz Khan (63.73, seventh), Kamindu Mendis (61.6, 10th), Darwish Rasooli (60.93, 12th), and Yash Rathod (60, 13th) are the other batters in the top 15 of the all-time first-class averages list.
Highest first-class averages, full list (min. 2000 runs)
*as of stumps, day three in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam match between Sialkot and Bahawalpur
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