Lahore (Sports Report): Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA)’s pacers Aqib Khan (5-56) and Naqeebullah (5-59) pulled off a remarkable comeback to help their side to win the President’s Trophy grade-I final against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited’s (SNGPL) on the fourth day at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday morning.
This was WAPDA’s maiden President’s Trophy Grade-I title.
Resuming their innings from the overnight score of 181 for four and requiring 64 runs for victory, SNGPL looked to be in command of the chase with batter Omair Bin Yousuf unbeaten on 60 and Mubasir Khan on 21 off 14 including four boundaries.
Aqib Khan bagged his fifth first-class fifer with figures of 14-2-56-5 while Naqeebullah picked up his third first-class fifer with figures of 20.1-5-59-5 as they two bamboozled SNGPL’s middle and lower order to reduce them to 209 all out in 49.1 overs, handing WAPDA a 35-run win.
For aiding a remarkable comeback for his side, WAPDA’s Naqeebullah was awarded the player of the final.
Scores in brief – Final – Day 4 of 5
Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) beat Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) by 35 runs at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Target for SNGPL: 245
WAPDA 265 all out, 82.1 overs (Ayaz Tasawar 57, Bismillah Khan 56, Imran Dogar 38, Mohammad Ammar 31; Aamir Jamal 4-67, Shehzad Gul 3-69, Shahnawaz Dahani 2-33) and 96 all out, 33.5 overs (Khalid Usman 18, Bismillah Khan 15, Mohammad Akhlaq 15; Shahnawaz Dahani 4-23, Mohammad Ali 4-26, Aamir Jamal 2-26)
SNGPL 117 all out, 45.1 overs (Azan Awais 48; Naqeebullah 4-20, Mohammad Zeeshan 3-47, Aqib Khan 2-29) and 209 all out, 49.1 overs (Omair Bin Yousuf 63, Abdul Samad 39, Mohammad Rizwan 23, Mubasir Khan 22; Aqib Khan 5-56, Naqeebullah 5-59)
Player of the final: Naqeebullah (WAPDA)
Best Wicket-keeper: Bismillah Khan (349 runs, 29 dismissals) (WAPDA)
Best Bowler: Mohammad Hamza (47 wickets) (KRL)
Best Batter: Abdullah Fazal (622 runs) (SBP)
Player of the tournament: Ghazi Ghori (531 runs, 21 dismissals) (SBP)
