2015–16 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy
# 2015–16 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

The 2015–16 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy was the 58th edition of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, the premier domestic first-class cricket competition in Pakistan. It was contested by 16 teams representing eight regional associations and eight departments.

The Pakistan Cricket Board restructured the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy just one season after implementing the previous changes. The number of teams was reduced from 26 to 16 with 12 automatic qualifiers and four additional teams gaining entry via two new pre-qualifying competitions, one for regions and one for departments. The competition proper was contested by means of two round-robin group stages, with a final to determine the winner. Among the qualifiers was Federally Administered Tribal Areas, which competed in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class competition for the first time.

Following the completion of the preliminary group stages, six departments (Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, National Bank of Pakistan, Water and Power Development Authority, United Bank Limited, Khan Research Laboratories and Sui Southern Gas Corporation) and two regions (Karachi Whites and Lahore Blues) qualified for the Super Eight stage of the competition. United Bank Limited and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited topped the Super Eight groups to advance to the final, where Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won by 6 wickets to defend their title.

## Structure and competition format

Despite having unveiled a revised format in 2015 which was intended to last five seasons, the Pakistan Cricket Board decided to overhaul the structure after just one season. The number of teams was reduced from 26 down to 16, made up of eight regional associations and eight departments; six of each were automatically qualified based on their record in 2014–15, and the remainder had to earn their place through a corresponding qualifying tournament, although the bottom teams from 2014–15 (Quetta and Pakistan Television) were not eligible as they were relegated directly to Grade II cricket.

The sixteen teams were divided into two groups, with four regions and four departments in each. After a round-robin of matches, the top four teams in each group advanced to a second group stage, called the "Super Eight", with four teams in each group. After a further round-robin, the top team in each group advanced to the final.

## Qualifying

Two qualifying competitions were held, one for regional associations and one for departments. Making it through from the regional competition were Federally Administered Tribal Areas, advancing to the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class competition for the first time, and Lahore Blues. Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) qualified from the departments. Under the previous system, Karachi Port Trust had been set to return to first-class cricket having won the Patron's Trophy Grade II the previous season but following the restructuring, they missed out in the qualifying tournament.

## Group stage

### Tables

Pool A :

| Team | Pld | W | L | D | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd. (Q) | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 40 |
| United Bank Ltd. (Q) | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 35 |
| Lahore Blues (Q) | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 22 |
| Sui Southern Gas Corp. (Q) | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 16 |
| Peshawar | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
| Port Qasim Authority | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 11 |
| Islamabad | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| Hyderabad | 7 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 6 |

Pool B :

| Team | Pld | W | L | D | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| National Bank of Pakistan (Q) | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 36 |
| Khan Research Labs. (Q) | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 33 |
| Karachi Whites (Q) | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 28 |
| Water and Power Dev. Auth. (Q) | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 25 |
| Habib Bank Ltd. | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 22 |
| Rawalpindi | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 12 |
| Lahore Whites | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 9 |
| Federally Administered Tribal Areas | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 |

(Q) The top four teams in each group advanced to the Super Eight stage

* Win by an innings = 10 points
* Win having led on first innings = 9 points
* Win having tied or trailed on first innings = 6 points
* Tie having led on first innings = 5 points
* Draw having led on first innings = 3 points
* Draw having tied on first innings, or tie having trailed on first innings = 2 points
* Draw with no result on first innings, or abandoned without a ball bowled = 1 point
* Loss, or draw having trailed on first innings = 0 points

### Results

**Pool A**

**Round 1**

* 26–29 October 2015 Scorecard
* United Bank Limited won by an innings and 120 runs Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad Umpires: Imtiaz Iqbal and Sajid Afridi
* Islamabad won the toss and elected to field.
* 26–29 October 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar Umpires: Asif Yaqoob and Qaiser Waheed
* Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won the toss and elected to field.
* 26–29 October 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad Umpires: Riazuddin and Tahir Rasheed
* Port Qasim Authority won the toss and elected to field.
* Mohammad Sohail (Hyderabad) made his first-class debut.
* 26–29 October 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore Umpires: Khalid Mahmood and Saqib Khan
* Sui Southern Gas Corporation won the toss and elected to field.
* Tayyab Tahir (Lahore Blues) made his first-class debut.

**Pool A**

**Round 2**

* 2–5 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad Umpires: Ghaffar Kazmi and Sajid Afridi
* Islamabad won the toss and elected to field.
* 2–5 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar Umpires: Khalid Mahmood and Rashid Riaz
* Peshawar won the toss and elected to field.
* Mohammad Mohsin and Shah Faisal (Peshawar) made their first-class debuts.
* 2–5 November 2015 Scorecard
* Port Qasim Authority won by 231 runs Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore Umpires: Nasar Khan and Saqib Khan
* Lahore Blues won the toss and elected to field.
* 2–5 November 2015 Scorecard
* Sui Southern Gas Corporation won by an innings and 379 runs Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad Umpires: Riazuddin and Tahir Rasheed
* Sui Southern Gas Corporation won the toss and elected to bat.

**Pool A**

**Round 3**

* 9–12 November 2015 Scorecard
* Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won by 153 runs Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad Umpires: Khalid Mahmood and Mohammad Rashid
* Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won the toss and elected to bat.
* 9–12 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad Umpires: Ahmed Shahab and Sajid Afridi
* Port Qasim Authority won the toss and elected to field.
* Munir-ur-Rehman (Islamabad) made his first-class debut.
* 9–12 November 2015 Scorecard
* United Bank Limited won by an innings and 206 runs Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore Umpires: Imtiaz Iqbal and Nasar Khan
* Lahore Blues won the toss and elected to field.
* 9–12 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar Umpires: Rashid Riaz and Zameer Haider
* Sui Southern Gas Corporation won the toss and elected to field.

**Pool A**

**Round 4**

* 16–19 November 2015 Scorecard
* United Bank Limited won by 263 runs Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad Umpires: Khalid Mahmood and Mohammad Rashid
* Hyderabad won the toss and elected to field.
* 16–19 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad Umpires: Ahmed Shahab and Qaiser Waheed
* Islamabad won the toss and elected to field.
* 16–19 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore Umpires: Imtiaz Iqbal and Mir Dad
* Lahore Blues won the toss and elected to field.
* Daniyal Zahid and Mohsin Nadeem (Lahore Blues) both made their first-class debuts.
* 16–19 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar Umpires: Majid Hussain and Shameem Ansari
* Port Qasim Authority won the toss and elected to bat.
* Mehran Alam and Wasif Nawaz (Peshawar) made their first-class debuts.
* Taj Wali (PQA) became the first bowler in more than 20 years to take four wickets in four balls in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

**Pool A**

**Round 5**

* 23–26 November 2015 Scorecard
* Islamabad won by 9 wickets Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad Umpires: Sajid Afridi and Saqib Khan
* Hyderabad won the toss and elected to bat.
* 23–26 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Lahore City Cricket Association Ground Umpires: Imtiaz Iqbal and Riazuddin
* Peshawar won the toss and elected to field.
* 23–26 November 2015 Scorecard
* Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won by an innings and 119 runs Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad Umpires: Tahir Shah and Zameer Haider
* Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won the toss and elected to field.
* Taimur Sultan (Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited) made his first-class debut.
* 23–26 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad Umpires: Qaiser Waheed and Rashid Riaz
* United Bank Limited won the toss and elected to bat.

**Pool A**

**Round 6**

* 30 November–3 December 2015 Scorecard
* Lahore Blues won by 13 runs Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad Umpires: Sajid Afridi and Tahir Rasheed
* Islamabad won the toss and elected to field.
* Haris Nazar (Lahore Blues) made his first-class debut.
* 30 November–3 December 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar Umpires: Mir Dad and Mohammad Rashid
* Hyderabad won the toss and elected to field.
* 30 November–3 December 2015 Scorecard
* Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won by 5 wickets Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad Umpires: Asif Yaqoob and Irfan Dilshad
* Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won the toss and elected to field.
* Faizan Khan (Sui Southern Gas Corporation) made his first-class debut.
* 30 November–3 December 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad Umpires: Tahir Shah and Waleed Yaqub
* Port Qasim Authority won the toss and elected to field.
* Noor Wali, Waqar Ahmed (Port Qasim Authority) and Sameen Gul (United Bank Limited) all made their first-class debuts.

**Pool A**

**Round 7**

* 7–10 December 2015 Scorecard
* Lahore Blues won by an innings and 184 runs Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad Umpires: Imtiaz Iqbal and Shameem Ansari
* Lahore Blues won the toss and elected to field.
* 7–10 December 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar Umpires: Tahir Shah and Waleed Yaqub
* Peshawar won the toss and elected to field.
* No play was possible on days 3 and 4.
* 7–10 December 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad Umpires: Majid Hussain and Qaiser Waheed
* Port Qasim Authority won the toss and elected to bat.
* No play was possible on day 4.
* 7–10 December 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Umpires: Khalid Mahmood and Mohammad Rashid
* United Bank Limited won the toss and elected to bat.
* No play was possible on day 4.

**Pool B**

**Round 1**

* 26–29 October 2015 Scorecard
* National Bank of Pakistan won by an innings and 12 runs Lahore City Cricket Association Ground, Lahore Umpires: Majid Hussain and Mir Dad
* National Bank of Pakistan won the toss and elected to field.
* Anas Mahmood, Kamil Akram, Sajid Watto and Shuja Haider (Lahore Whites) all made their first-class debuts.
* 26–29 October 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn National Stadium, Karachi Umpires: Ahmed Shahab and Jamil Kamran
* Water and Power Development Authority won the toss and elected to field.
* Haris Ali, Jaahid Ali and Saud Shakeel (Karachi Whites) all made their first-class debuts.
* 26–29 October 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot Umpires: Rashid Riaz and Shozab Raza
* Federally Administered Tribal Areas won the toss and elected to field.
* Haroon Sadaqat, Irfanullah Shah, Khushdil Shah, Liaqat Ali and Mohammad Sarwar (Federally Administered Tribal Areas); Amad Butt (Habib Bank Limited) all made their first-class debuts.
* 26–29 October 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi Umpires: Nasar Khan and Tahir Shah
* Khan Research Laboratories won the toss and elected to field.

**Pool B**

**Round 2**

* 2–5 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn National Stadium, Karachi Umpires: Ahmed Shahab and Jamil Kamran
* Karachi Whites won the toss and elected to field.
* Abdullah Muqaddam (Karachi Whites) made his first-class debut.
* 2–5 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot, Umpires: Asif Yaqoob and Shozab Raza
* National Bank of Pakistan won the toss and elected to field.
* Razaullah Wazir (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) made his first-class debut.
* 2–5 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi Umpires: Abid Naqvi and Irfan Dilshad
* Water and Power Development Authority won the toss and elected to field.
* 2–5 November 2015 Scorecard
* Khan Research Laboratories won by 10 wickets Lahore City Cricket Association Ground, Lahore Umpires: Imtiaz Iqbal and Shameem Ansari
* Khan Research Laboratories won the toss and elected to field.
* Jamil Khan, Mohammad Waqas and Saif-ur-Rehman (Lahore Whites) all made their first-class debuts.

**Pool B**

**Round 3**

* 9–12 November 2015 Scorecard
* National Bank of Pakistan won by an innings and 23 runs National Stadium, Karachi Umpires: Asif Yaqoob and Waleed Yaqub
* National Bank of Pakistan won the toss and elected to field.
* Ghulam Mudassar and Salman Zaib (Karachi Whites) made their first-class debuts.
* 9–12 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Lahore City Cricket Association Ground, Lahore Umpires: Aslam Bareach and Jamil Kamran
* Water and Power Development Authority won the toss and elected to field.
* 9–12 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi Umpires: Saqib Khan and Tahir Shah
* Habib Bank Limited won the toss and elected to field.
* 9–12 November 2015 Scorecard
* Khan Research Laboratories won by 10 wickets Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot Umpires: Qaiser Waheed and Shameem Ansari
* Khan Research Laboratories won the toss and elected to field.
* Irfanullah, Mohammad Kashif and Samar Gul (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) all made their first-class debuts.

**Pool B**

**Round 4**

* 16–19 November 2015 Scorecard
* Water and Power Development Authority won by an innings and 4 runs Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot Umpires: Tahir Shah and Zameer Haider
* Water and Power Development Authority won the toss and elected to bat.
* Ibraheem Gul, Majid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Nisar Khan and Sohrab Khan (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) all made their first-class debuts.
* 16–19 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn National Stadium, Karachi Umpires: Asif Yaqoob and Waleed Yaqub
* Karachi Whites won the toss and elected to field.
* 16–19 November 2015 Scorecard
* Habib Bank Limited won by an innings and 56 runs Lahore City Cricket Association Ground Umpires: Aslam Bareach and Jamil Kamran
* Habib Bank Limited won the toss and elected to field.
* 16–19 November 2015 Scorecard
* National Bank of Pakistan won by an innings and 79 runs Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Umpires: Ghaffar Kazmi and Irfan Dilshad
* Rawalpindi won the toss and elected to field.

**Pool B**

**Round 5**

* 23–26 November 2015 Scorecard
* Habib Bank Limited won by 51 runs National Ground, Islamabad Umpires: Irfan Dilshad and Nasar Khan
* Khan Research Laboratories won the toss and elected to field.
* 23–26 November 2015 Scorecard
* Rawalpindi won by 90 runs Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Umpires: Ghaffar Kazmi and Waleed Yaqub
* Karachi Whites won the toss and elected to field.
* 23–26 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore Umpires: Aslam Bareach and Mir Dad
* Lahore Whites won the toss and elected to field.
* 23–26 November 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot Umpires: Asif Yaqoob and Tahir Rasheed
* National Bank of Pakistan won the toss and elected to field.

**Pool B**

**Round 6**

* 30 November–3 December 2015 Scorecard
* Karachi Whites won by an innings and 160 runs Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore Umpires: Majid Hussain and Saqib Khan
* Lahore Whites won the toss and elected to field.
* Mohammad Imran (Lahore Whites) made his first-class debut.
* 30 November–3 December 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot Umpires: Nasar Khan and Zameer Haider
* Habib Bank Limited won the toss and elected to field.
* 30 November–3 December 2015 Scorecard
* Federally Administered Tribal Areas won by 4 wickets Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Umpires: Aslam Bareach and Qaiser Waheed
* Rawalpindi won the toss and elected to bat.
* This was FATA's maiden win in first-class cricket.
* 30 November–3 December 2015 Scorecard
* Khan Research Laboratories won by 5 wickets National Ground, Islamabad Umpires: Rashid Riaz and Riazuddin
* Khan Research Laboratories won the toss and elected to field.

**Pool B**

**Round 7**

* 7–10 December 2015 Scorecard
* Water and Power Development Authority won by 225 runs Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad Umpires: Riazuddin and Zameer Haider
* Habib Bank Limited won the toss and elected to field.
* 7–10 December 2015 Scorecard
* Karachi Whites won by 3 wickets National Stadium, Karachi Umpires: Ghaffar Kazmi and Irfan Dilshad
* Federally Administered Tribal Areas won the toss and elected to field.
* Sheraz Ali (Karachi Whites) made his first-class debut.
* 7–10 December 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Lahore City Cricket Association Ground Umpires: Saqib Khan and Tahir Rasheed
* Rawalpindi won the toss and elected to field.
* 7–10 December 2015 Scorecard
* Khan Research Laboratories won by 8 wickets Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot Umpires: Asif Yaqoob and Sajid Afridi
* Khan Research Laboratories won the toss and elected to field.

## Super Eight stage

### Tables

Group I :

| Team | Pld | W | L | D | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd. (Q) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 22 |
| Water and Power Dev. Auth. | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| Lahore Blues | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| Khan Research Labs. | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |

Group II :

| Team | Pld | W | L | D | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| United Bank Ltd. (Q) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 18 |
| National Bank of Pakistan | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Karachi Whites | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Sui Southern Gas Corp. | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |

(Q) The top team in each group advanced to the final

* Win by an innings = 10 points
* Win having led on first innings = 9 points
* Win having tied or trailed on first innings = 6 points
* Tie having led on first innings = 5 points
* Draw having led on first innings = 3 points
* Draw having tied on first innings, or tie having trailed on first innings = 2 points
* Draw with no result on first innings, or abandoned without a ball bowled = 1 point
* Loss, or draw having trailed on first innings = 0 points

### Results

**Group 1**

* 14–17 December 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex, Karachi Umpires: Imtiaz Iqbal and Khalid Mahmood
* Lahore Blues won the toss and elected to bat.
* 14–17 December 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn National Stadium, Karachi Umpires: Sajid Afridi and Zameer Haider
* Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won the toss and elected to field.
* 20–23 December 2015 Scorecard
* Lahore Blues won by 5 wickets Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad Umpires: Majid Hussain and Sajid Afridi
* Lahore Blues won the toss and elected to field.
* 20–23 December 2015 Scorecard
* Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won by 3 wickets United Bank Limited Sports Complex, Karachi Umpires: Asif Yaqoob and Ghaffar Kazmi
* Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won the toss and elected to field.
* 28–31 December 2015 Scorecard
* Water and Power Development Authority won by an innings and 300 runs United Bank Limited Sports Complex, Karachi Umpires: Imtiaz Iqbal and Riazuddin
* Khan Research Laboratories won the toss and elected to field.
* 28–31 December 2015 Scorecard
* Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won by an innings and 325 runs National Stadium, Karachi Umpires: Asif Yaqoob and Khalid Mahmood
* Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won the toss and elected to field.

**Group 2**

* 14–17 December 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad Umpires: Majid Hussain and Rashid Riaz
* Sui Southern Gas Corporation won the toss and elected to field.
* 14–17 December 2015 Scorecard
* United Bank Limited won by 67 runs United Bank Limited Sports Complex, Karachi Umpires: Irfan Dilshad and Riazuddin
* United Bank Limited won the toss and elected to bat.
* 20–23 December 2015 Scorecard
* National Bank of Pakistan won by 7 wickets National Stadium, Karachi Umpires: Irfan Dilshad and Zameer Haider
* National Bank of Pakistan won the toss and elected to field.
* 20–23 December 2015 Scorecard
* Match drawn National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex, Karachi Umpires: Ahmed Shahab and Rashid Riaz
* United Bank Limited won the toss and elected to bat.
* 28–31 December 2015 Scorecard
* National Bank of Pakistan won by 5 wickets National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex, Karachi Umpires: Ahmed Shahab and Ghaffar Kazmi
* National Bank of Pakistan won the toss and elected to field.
* 28–31 December 2015 Scorecard
* United Bank Limited won by 6 wickets Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad Umpires: Ahsan Raza and Shozab Raza
* Sui Southern Gas Corporation won the toss and elected to bat.

## Final

* 3–7 January 2016 Scorecard
* Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited won by 6 wickets Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad Umpires: Ahmed Shahab and Ahsan Raza Player of the match: Bilawal Bhatti (Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited)
* United Bank Limited won the toss and elected to bat.
* This was the third time the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy was a day-night game.
* Bilawal Bhatti recorded his best figures in first-class cricket with 8 for 56, and his best overall match figures, with 11 for 95.
