Karachi Blues crush Sialkot to reclaim Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title

Karachi Blues reclaimed the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT) 2025-26 title after outclassing defending champions Sialkot by 218 runs in the final at Gaddafi Stadium, sealing victory with a dominant all-round performance led by Saqib Khan’s five-wicket haul.

Chasing an imposing 533-run target, Sialkot resumed the final day on 12-0 but crumbled under sustained pressure, eventually being dismissed for 314.

Karachi’s breakthrough came early when Saqib trapped opener Azan Awais lbw with the score on 35. Fellow opener Mohammad Hurraira made 39 before falling during a brief period of resistance anchored by Test batter Abdullah Shafique, who top-scored among the top order with a fluent 59 off 98 balls, hitting five fours and a six.

Sialkot showed their only meaningful fightback through a 112-run sixth-wicket partnership between Hamza Nazar (56) and wicketkeeper-batter Afzal Manzoor, whose aggressive 63 off 48 briefly lifted hopes of an improbable chase. But both fell in quick succession, exposing the lower order.

Pacer Hasan Ali chipped in with a brisk 27 off 27, but Saqib returned to rip through the tail and complete figures of 5 for 86, ensuring Karachi Blues closed out the match comfortably.

Karachi’s bowlers shared the spoils efficiently, with Mushtaq Ahmed and Rameez Aziz picking up two wickets each, while Mohammad Umar added one.

The win caps off a commanding campaign for Karachi Blues, who had earlier set up the massive victory target with centuries from Abdullah Fazal and Haroon Arshad, and now extend their record as one of the most decorated sides in Pakistan’s premier first-class competition.