Karachi region blues U-19 team defeated Hyderabad region by an innings and 102 runs in their third round match of the national championship at Lahore. In previous two outings, Karachi suffered a defeat against Peshawar and managed a draw against Dera Murad Jamali. The third round saw Karachi getting their campaign back on track as they registered a strong comeback. Karachi now faces Sialkot region in their 4th round. A victory there will increase the chances of topping the group.
Hyderabad made 106 runs in the first innings as they couldn’t stand up against a disciplined Karachi bowling attack. Rizwanullah led the destruction, picking up 4 vital wickets while giving away only 20 runs. Niqab Shafiq supported him brilliantly from the other end with his spinning deliveries, taking 3 wickets for 30 runs to keep the opposition completely quiet.
In reply, the Karachi captain Huzaifa Ahsan played a truly spectacular innings to put his team in total control. He anchored the batting lineup and scored a magnificent century. Earlier in the first round, Huzaifa came incredibly close to a century with 97 runs in the opening game against the Dera Murad Jamali team, but he made absolutely no mistakes this time. Muhammad Azaan also played a crucial role, supporting his captain well and contributing a valuable 68 runs to the total.
The second innings for Hyderabad went even worse than the first. The opposition batsmen failed to put up a fight and the entire team collapsed for just 98 runs. Karachi bowlers were relentless. This time, Niqab Shafiq took charge of the bowling attack all by himself. He took 6 wickets for 18 runs, falling just short by 1 wicket for a 10 wicket haul in the match. Niqab delivered a magical spell and dismantled the opposition batting lineup, helping Karachi region blues to seal the victory.
With one draw, one loss, and now a dominant innings victory, the Karachi team has gained great momentum. They will now prepare to face the Sialkot regional team in their fourth round match which starts on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
