Watch: Muhammad Hurraira blitzed a double-century in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final as Northern established a position of dominance against Sindh.

Hurraira, 20 years old, continued a remarkable run of form at the start of his first-class career to put Northern within touching distance of claiming the trophy in Pakistan’s first-class competition. The starlet has now made seven hundreds in 22 first-class games, including a triple century, and averages 64.84 in first-class cricket.

His latest innings might be his proudest yet. After taking the final Sindh wickets in the morning session, Hurraira and opening partner Hasan Raza began Northern’s first innings response to Sindh’s 284. Raza lasted just seven overs, with his replacement Abdel Faseeh bowled shortly afterward for a duck.

Northern captain Umar Amin joined Hurraira at the crease with his side at 27-2. No other wickets fell all day, with Northern finishing on 296-2. Amin built a solid innings, finishing on 79 off 145 balls. But the story of the day was Hurraira, who was imperious as he managed a season’s best 193 off just 202 balls. He moved to 221 the next morning before being bowled.

The 20-year-old reached his hundred off 118 balls, and kept his foot on the gas from then on, giving his side plenty of time to  His innings sees his century tally for the competition move to four, and also sees him take the top spot as highest-scorer in the competition, a feat he also achieved in last year’s edition.

His innings started a little shakily. With only one run on the board, a Shahnawaz Dahani ball took off as it bounced, taking Hurraira by surprise. The opener could do little to avoid the ball taking the edge of his bat, but such was the bounce that it landed safely well behind the slip cordon before racing away for four runs.

After that, Hurraira was in supreme control of every stroke he played. Off the front foot, off the back foot, on the off side, on the on side, no part of the ground was safe from his shot-making. It didn’t matter what questions Sindh asked of Hurraira, he had an answer.

Despite his early chance, Dahani came under the cosh in particular, alongside Mohammad Umar, the latter of whom Hurraira plundered for 33 runs off his last 17 balls.

Hurraira is yet to make his Pakistan debut, but is on the selectors’ radar. A former Pakistan U19 player, he is contracted by the PCB as an emerging player. After likely topping the scoring charts for the second season in a row, it may become impossible for the national team selectors to ignore his case.

Watch the highlights of the Hurraira double-century:

 

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