Pakistan spinner Faisal Akram continued to excel in first-class cricket, in the latest round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy on Tuesday (October 14).
Faisal Akram takes fifth first-class five-for
In the second round of matches, which began on October 12, Karachi Blues elected to field first against Multan at the Marghzar Cricket Ground in Islamabad. Multan posted 260, courtesy of Arafat Minhas's 77 which rescued them from 119-5. Karachi were 49-1 at the end of day one, having lost Saim Ayub for one.
Match 10, Karachi Blues vs Multan
vs
- Ball by ball Over
On day two, Omair Bin Yousuf (137) and Saad Baig (154) scored tons in a 262-run second-wicket stand, before they were both removed by left-arm wrist-spinner Faisal Akram. That triggered a mini-slide in the middle-order as Akram soon accounted for Haroon Arshad and Danish Aziz in quick succession.
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The 22-year-old completed a five-wicket haul with the wicket of Karachi wicketkeeper and former Pakistan Test skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed for one. Karachi ended up with 433, and then bowled Multan out for 272 before chasing down 100 to win inside three days.
Who is Faisal Akram?
This was the fifth five-wicket haul of Akram's first-class career, which is still only eleven matches old. In the process, he also crossed the mark of 50 wickets in first-class cricket. Thought of as a white-ball specialist, his first-class debut came in December 2023, after he had already played T20 cricket in 2021, and List A cricket in 2022.
Akram made his international debut last November, playing three ODIs when Pakistan toured Zimbabwe. He picked up five wickets in 19.3 overs across the series. He has also played three PSL matches, for Multan Sultans.
He was selected in Pakistan's Test squad to take on South Africa at home, but ahead of the first Test, Akram and senior pacer Aamer Jamal were both released from the squad to play the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Noman Ali and Sajid Khan are the two specialist spinners currently playing for Pakistan in Lahore.
Faisal Akram - best figures in first-class cricket
| Figures | For | Against | Year |
| 7-47 | Pakistan Television | Water and Power Development Authority | 2024 |
| 7-93 | Pakistan Television | Eshaal Associates | 2025 |
| 6-46 | Pakistan Television | Water and Power Development Authority | 2025 |
| 5-95 | Pakistan Television | Khan Research Laboratories | 2024 |
| 5-113 | Multan | Karachi Blues | 2025 |
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