The ninth and final round of the President’s Trophy Grade-I kicked off on Tuesday across various venues in Karachi, with Abid Ali’s unbeaten 173 leading the charge for SNGPL, while Mohammad Irfan’s seven-wicket haul put KRL in control against State Bank of Pakistan.
Abid Ali Anchors SNGPL’s Innings
At UBL Sports Complex, SNGPL’s experienced opener Abid Ali played a masterclass, crafting an unbeaten 173 off 243 deliveries, studded with 24 boundaries and a six. His effort single-handedly kept SNGPL afloat as wickets tumbled around him, with the team finishing at 270 for eight in 78 overs against Eshaal Associates.
Asad Raza (4-54) spearheaded Eshaal Associates’ attack, while Tahir Hussain chipped in with two wickets for 57 runs.
Afridi, Hamza Power OGDCL to Dominant Total
At State Bank Stadium, Sarwar Afridi (123 off 140 balls) and Raja Hamza (103 off 125 balls) struck fluent centuries to propel OGDCL to 361 for five in 91 overs against HEC.
Afridi, with 15 fours and two sixes, set the platform, while Hamza accelerated with 16 boundaries and a six. Left-arm spinner Mansoor Ali was the pick of the bowlers for HEC, returning figures of 3-97 in 27 overs.
Irfan’s Seven-Fer Rocks SBP
At KCCA Stadium, Mohammad Irfan produced a stunning spell, scalping 7-44 to bowl State Bank of Pakistan out for just 119 in their first innings. KRL, however, couldn’t capitalize, as Kashif Bhatti’s four-wicket haul restricted them to 150 all out in 48.4 overs.
With a deficit of 31 runs, SBP started their second innings cautiously, reaching 8-0 at stumps, still trailing by 23 runs.
Saad Naseem, Shadab Khan Shine for Ghani Glass
At NBP Sports Complex, Ghani Glass posted 286 in 81 overs after being asked to bat first against WAPDA. Saad Naseem (94 off 135 balls, 13 fours) fell agonizingly short of a century, while Shadab Khan contributed 70 off 113 deliveries.
For WAPDA, left-arm pacer Akif Javed led the attack with 4-55, supported by Mujtaba Khan and Khalid Usman, who picked three wickets each. In response, WAPDA struggled early, losing three wickets for just 18 runs in seven overs, with Khurram Shahzad striking thrice for Ghani Glass.
Scores in Brief: (Day 1 of 4)
Match 33 – SNGPL vs Eshaal Associates (UBL Sports Complex)
SNGPL 270-8, 78 overs (Abid Ali 173, Haseebullah 29, Omair bin Yousuf 28; Asad Raza 4-54, Tahir Hussain 2-57)
Match 34 – OGDCL vs HEC (State Bank Stadium)
OGDCL 361-5, 91 overs (Sarwar Afridi 123, Raja Hamza 103, Muhammad Hammad Khan 48; Mansoor Ali 3-97)
Match 35 – SBP vs KRL (KCCA Stadium)
SBP 119 all out, 32.2 overs (Muhammad Faizan 44; Mohammad Irfan 7-44) & 8-0, 4 overs
KRL 150 all out, 48.4 overs (Saad Baig 44, Sharoon Siraj 38; Kashif Bhatti 4-37)
Match 36 – Ghani Glass vs WAPDA (NBP Sports Complex)
Ghani Glass 286 all out, 81 overs (Saad Naseem 94, Shadab Khan 70; Akif Javed 4-55)
WAPDA 18-3, 7 overs (Khurram Shahzad 3-9)
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