In a remarkable display of fast bowling, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) secured a decisive 48-run win against State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in the President’s Trophy Grade-I. The third-round match, held at the State Bank Stadium, saw SNGPL bounce back emphatically from a prior defeat.
Shehzad Gul's Match-Winning Spell
The victory was orchestrated primarily by pace bowler Shehzad Gul, who delivered a career-defining performance. Needing just two wickets on the fourth morning to seal the game, SNGPL wrapped up the proceedings in only seven balls, conceding a mere five runs. The final act saw Shehzad Gul dismiss the overnight batter, Qasim Akram, for 37 runs.
This wicket completed Gul's extraordinary match figures of 11 wickets for 91 runs, marking the best first-class haul of his career. His devastating spell was the cornerstone of SNGPL's convincing triumph.
Points Table Reshuffle and Other Match Result
This emphatic win served as a perfect response to SNGPL's eight-wicket loss against WAPDA in the previous round. The result significantly strengthened their standing in the tournament. After three rounds of play, SNGPL now occupies second place on the points table with 59 points, closely trailing the leaders. Pakistan Television (PTV) follows in third position with 49 points.
In another fixture of the round, the match between Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) at the NBP Sports Complex concluded in a draw. KRL, set a target of 275 runs on the final day, reached 82 for 2 in 22 overs before both teams agreed to a stalemate.
Highlights from the Drawn Encounter
KRL's chase was steadied by left-handed opener Shahzaib Khan, who remained not out on a confident 45 off 63 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes. He found solid support from Imran Rafiq (10 not out) after his side had stumbled early to 31 for 2.
Earlier, OGDCL had posted a formidable second-innings total of 377, built on the back of Mohammad Sarwar Afridi's third first-class century. Resuming on 90, Sarwar went on to score a composed 115 off 175 deliveries. He received valuable support from Danish Aziz (70), skipper Adil Amin (55), and Muhammad Imran (25). For KRL, Arshad Iqbal was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets for 57 runs.
Following this round, KRL sits in fourth place with 43 points, while OGDCL is fifth with 37 points. Both teams have registered one victory from their three matches so far in the President’s Trophy Grade-I 2025-26 season.
