The 2020–21 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy was a first-class domestic cricket competition that took place in Karachi,[1] Pakistan, from 25 October 2020 to 5 January 2021.[2][3][4] Central Punjab cricket team were the defending champions.[5][6] Central Punjab started their title defence poorly, with no wins from their first five matches.[7] Despite being bottom in the table at the half-way point of the tournament,[8] they won four of the next five matches to finish second in the table, advancing to the final with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.[9]
| Dates | 25 October 2020 – 5 January 2021 |
|---|---|
| Administrator(s) | Pakistan Cricket Board |
| Cricket format | First-class |
| Tournament format(s) | Group stage and Final |
| Host(s) |  Pakistan |
| Champions | Central Punjab Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| Participants | 6 |
| Matches | 31 |
| Player of the series | Hasan Ali |
| Most runs | Kamran Ghulam (1,249) |
| Most wickets | Sajid Khan (67) |
| Official website | www.pcb.com.pk |
The final finished in a tie, with Central Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa sharing the title.[10] It was the first time the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy had been tied,[11] and the first tie in the final of a domestic first-class cricket tournament.[12] Central Punjab's Hasan Ali was named the player of the final and the tournament.[13] Khyber Pakhtunkhwa batsman Kamran Ghulam set a new record for runs scored during a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy season with 1,249; the previous record had stood since 1983–84.[14]
Squads
| Balochistan | Central Punjab | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Northern | Sindh | Southern Punjab |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
On 21 October 2020, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed the squads for the tournament.[15] Ahead of the opening round of matches, Salman Butt withdrew from the tournament and was replaced by Ali Zaryab in Central Punjab's team.[16]
Points table
| Team[17] | Pld | W | L | D | T | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 161 | –0.013 |
| Central Punjab | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 137 | –0.111 |
| Southern Punjab | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 129 | –0.145 |
| Balochistan | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 128 | +0.098 |
| Northern | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 123 | +0.183 |
| Sindh | 10 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 87 | –0.006 |
Fixtures
Round 1
25–28 October 2020 Scorecard |
v | ||
- Balochistan won the toss and elected to bat.
- Akhtar Shah (Balochistan) made his first-class debut.
25–28 October 2020 Scorecard |
v | ||
- Sindh won the toss and elected to field.
- Qasim Akram (Central Punjab) made his first-class debut.
25–28 October 2020 Scorecard |
v | ||
- Northern won the toss and elected to bat.
- Hussain Talat (Southern Punjab) scored his maiden double century in first-class cricket.[18]
- Zahid Mahmood (Southern Punjab) took his first ten-wicket match haul and his 100th wicket in first-class cricket.[19][20]
Round 2
31 October–3 November 2020 Scorecard |
v | ||
- Toss uncontested, Southern Punjab elected to field.
- Dilbar Hussain (Southern Punjab) made his first-class debut.
Round 3
Round 4
20–23 November 2020 Scorecard |
v | ||
- Toss uncontested, Northern elected to field.
- Nasir Nawaz (Northern) made his first-class debut.
20–23 November 2020 Scorecard |
v | ||
- Sindh won the toss and elected to bat.
- Abrar Ahmed (Sindh) made his first-class debut.
Round 5
26–29 November 2020 Scorecard |
v | ||
- Northern won the toss and elected to bat.
- Mohammad Wasim (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Munir Riaz (Northern) both made their first-class debuts.
- Munir Riaz (Northern) took his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.[21]
- Umair Masood (Northern) scored his maiden century in first-class cricket.[22]
Round 6
Round 7
8–11 December 2020 Scorecard |
v | ||
- Northern won the toss and elected to bat.
- Shadab Majeed (Northern) made his first-class debut.
Round 8
14–17 December 2020 Scorecard |
v | ||
- Northern won the toss and elected to bat.
- Mubasir Khan (Northern) made his first-class debut, and scored his maiden century in first-class cricket.[23]
14–17 December 2020 Scorecard |
v | ||
6/0 (0.3 overs) Musadiq Ahmed 6* (3 overs) |
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa won the toss and elected to bat.
Round 9
Round 10
26–29 December 2020 Scorecard |
v | ||
- Balochistan won the toss and elected to bat.
- Azam Khan (Sindh) made his first-class debut.
26–29 December 2020 Scorecard |
v | ||
63/0 (10 overs) Muhammad Akhlaq 38* (42) |
- Toss uncontested, Southern Punjab elected to field.
- Usman Salahuddin (Central Punjab) scored his maiden double century in first-class cricket.[24]