Maximilian Kieffer will take a one-shot lead into what will be a long final day of the Qatar Open after play was cut short due to darkness on Saturday.

A sandstorm and high winds on Friday meant the vast majority of the field had to finish their second rounds in the morning and it was Kieffer and Joachim B Hansen who led at the halfway mark.

Kieffer was at the top of the leaderboard on five under after the German was level par through three holes when play was suspended in Muscat.

Hansen dropped back to four under as a result of a double-bogey six at the second in his third round in testing conditions due to high winds at Al Mouj Golf.

Kieffer earlier signed for a two-under second round of 70, with Hansen carding a 69 to take a share of the lead.

Gaganjeet Bhullar and Brandon Stone are also just a solitary stroke off the lead with 14 holes of their penultimate round to play, having made 69 and 70 respectively in their second set of 18.

Peter Hanson, Hugo Leon, Hideto Tanihara, Benjamin Herbert and Fabrizio Zanotti are well poised on three under.

Play will restart at 7:15am local time on Sunday, with a two-tee final round scheduled.