IN A summer of drought, the Yasmin & Shahid Solicitors Cup final could have proved unlucky in the Quaid-e-Azam League.

Rain beforehand may have caused the game between Darulshafa and holders OnQ to be postponed.

However, sterling work by the groundstaff at Saltaire Cricket Club meant that the game went ahead, and Darulshafa, runners-up in 2017, won the toss and opted to bat, which some deemed risky.

However, skipper Ayyaaz Akram was comfortable with the decision, although the aggressive Naik Zada was caught behind by Imran Mirza for four off Faisal Zishan with the score on seven.

Awais and Siraj Hussain added 17 for the second wicket before the latter was bowled by Tauseef Arshad, and Awais Hussain and Arsaam Malik then put on 30 before the former was caught behind off Yasir Abbas.

A score of 54-2 then became 55-5 as Arshad picked up two more quick wickets, pinning Malik lbw for 14 and then having skipper Akram provide Mirza with a third catch.

Darulshafa desperately needed a partnership, and it came via Amar Rashid and Azhar Mahmood, who added 58 before Rashid was bowled by left-arm spinner Suleman Khan for 32.

Mohammed Bilal (24) then put on 41 with Mahmood (28) before veteran spinner Kez Ahmed dismissed them both as Darulshafa fell to 164-8 before the tail-enders added 19 further runs.

Arshad finished with 3-26, and was well supported by Ahmed (2-28) and Zishan (2-38).

OnQ took nine from the first over, but they lost Adil Islam, caught by wicket-keeper Zada, in the second over.

It got worse when Raqeeb Younis was lbw to Maaiz Khan for a duck, making the score 14-2 within three overs.

Adam Patel decided that attack was the best form of defence and made a rapid 32 before falling to Bilal, after conceding two boundaries, in his first over.

Wickets then began to fall regularly, with neither Mushy Shah (5) nor Khan (15), who was lbw to Amir Hamzah, staying long as the score became 78-5 in the 14th over.

After scoring another eight, OnQ lost the wickets of Iftikhar Naseer to Hamzah (2-32) and Mirza to Bilal (3-32).

Abbas hit a few huge sixes off Rashid to keep hopes alive, but he lacked support, finishing on 25 not out, and the spinner weaved his web with three late wickets as OnQ were dismissed for 128.

Rashid was man of the match with his 32 and 3-14 as Darulshafa gained revenge for their 2017 final defeat.