Karachi Blues tightened their grip on a potential spot in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final after crushing Islamabad by an innings and 104 runs inside just five sessions at Rawalpindi — their third consecutive victory in the tournament.

The commanding win not only boosted Karachi’s position on the points table but also delivered two major personal milestones for their key performers.

Veteran left-arm spinner Kashif Bhatti, representing Karachi as a guest player, produced a vintage performance to cross 500 first-class wickets, returning 5 for 61 in the first innings and 3 for 15 in the second to finish with match figures of 8 for 76.

His incisive spells triggered Islamabad’s downfall, who were bundled out for 161 and 109/9, the latter affected by an injury to Shamyl Hassan, leaving them one batter short.

Earlier, Karachi piled up 368 in just 71.5 overs, powered by a classy and authoritative 130 by Pakistan international Saud Shakeel, his 23rd first-class century, reinforcing his stature as Karachi’s batting pillar. The innings also featured a blistering 73 off 64 balls from Abdullah Fazal, whose counter-attacking knock pushed Islamabad further on the defensive.

On the bowling front, Karachi’s pace sensation Saqib Khan continued his remarkable run, taking 3 for 21 in the second innings and extending his tally to 37 wickets, the highest in the ongoing competition.

With form, momentum, and individual brilliance aligning at the perfect time, Karachi now stand just one win away from sealing their place in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final — a stage that now feels well within reach.

Match Summary

Islamabad: 161 all out (37.2 overs) — Shamyl Hassan 85, Hasan Nawaz 31; Kashif Bhatti 5/61, M Asghar 4/34

Karachi Blues: 368 all out (71.5 overs) — Saud Shakeel 130, Abdullah Fazal 73; Hasan Nawaz 3/58, Shayan Sheikh 3/98

Islamabad: 109/9 (26.3 overs) — Abdul Fasih 35; Kashif Bhatti 3/15, Saqib Khan 3/21

Result: Karachi Blues won by an innings and 104 runs