Sports Bulletin

Lahore (Sports Reporter): Former Pakistan Test captain Aamir Sohail visited the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore and reviewed the ongoing development work and high-performance initiatives being undertaken for the development of players.During the visit, Director High Performance Aqib Javed briefed Aamir on the development programmes for U15, U17 and U19 players, along with the academy structure and pathways being created to identify, develop and prepare young cricketers for higher levels of the game.The former Test batter was given a presentation on the Athlete Management System by the Analysis wing and its role in monitoring player development, assessing performance and identifying areas where players can further improve their skills.The former Pakistan captain, who has previously served as Director National Cricket Academy and Chief Selector also reviewed the upgraded facilities at the NCA, including the ongoing project to install bio-mechanics lab and other resources available to players.Aamir, who is now a seasoned commentator represented Pakistan in 47 Tests and 156 ODIs from 1990 to 2000.Talking to PCB Digital following his visit, Aamir Sohail said:“The facilities that should be available to players at the National Cricket Academy are now in place. A number of areas have been upgraded and the overall facilities have been enhanced. It is very encouraging to see that the prerequisites required for the development of players are now available in the true sense.“This is a very positive development for Pakistan cricket and the Pakistan Cricket Board deserves credit for placing such emphasis on player development. The PCB has invested significantly in creating and improving these facilities, which is highly encouraging.“I must also commend the Chairman PCB for his commitment towards the development of Pakistan cricket. It is very encouraging to have a Chairman who is willing to provide the resources required and invest in initiatives that can contribute to the betterment of the game. When the leadership is prepared to support cricket development in this manner, it creates a strong platform for progress.“At the same time, I would urge the PCB to continue focusing strongly on player development. With the Chairman providing such encouragement and showing a willingness to invest in the betterment of cricket, it is equally important that this investment translates into performances and results.“Infrastructure and investment are important, but it is equally important to ensure that the people working with the players have the required expertise so that the investment produces the desired outcomes.“The bio-mechanics lab is an important addition because it can help players better understand the technical areas of their game and identify where they may be falling short. It can provide them with valuable information about their movements and help them work on aspects that may be affecting their performances.“The player pathways that have been created are also very encouraging. However, alongside these initiatives, there needs to be a sustained focus on strengthening club and school cricket.“The PCB has recently started a school cricket tournament, which is a positive step, but school cricket needs to become a consistent part of the system rather than a one-off activity. Schools should remain continuously engaged with cricket throughout the year so that young players have regular opportunities to play, develop and progress through the system.” 

Rawalpindi (Sports Reporter): Rawalpindi U19 edged Abbottabad U19 by one wicket, Mohammad Bilal returned six for 34 to help Islamabad U19 beat Karachi Whites by 149 runs, while Taj Mohammad followed his first-innings five-for with six wickets in the second innings as Lahore Whites U19 beat Larkana U19 by 176 runs on the third and final day of the National U19 Championship third round.Group A: At the HPC Faisalabad Cricket Ground, Rawalpindi resumed their second innings at the overnight score of 58 for three, requiring another 160 runs to beat Abbottabad. Mohammad Sohaib scored 54 and Mohammad Ahmad contributed 52 as Rawalpindi reached 218 for nine in 115.3 overs to complete a tense one-wicket win. Essa Khan took four for 69 for Abbottabad.At Saeed Ajmal Academy, Faisalabad resumed on 86 for seven after Sialkot Whites had posted 272 for nine in their first innings. Muhammad Saim, unbeaten on 53 overnight, extended his innings to 84 before Faisalabad were dismissed for 126. Muhammad Abdul Qadeer finished with six for 42. Sialkot Whites then achieved the target of 21 without loss in 4.5 overs.Group B: At Ashfaq Cricket Ground in Charsadda, Peshawar resumed on two without loss after Bahawalpur had been dismissed for 139 in their second innings. Chasing 86, Peshawar reached the target for the loss of three wickets in 15.1 overs, with Huzaifa Khan unbeaten on 34, to register a seven-wicket win.At Mir Awais Cricket Ground, Karachi Whites resumed on 59 for two in pursuit of 386 against Islamabad. Mohammad Humza Malik fought with 89, but Mohammad Bilal took six for 34 as Karachi Whites were bowled out for 236 in 73.1 overs, giving Islamabad a 149-run win.Group C: At CSS Cricket Ground, Quetta resumed on 125 for eight and were eventually dismissed for 211, with Wadanullah making 52. Mohammad Talha returned four for 42. Multan then achieved the target by reaching 160 for four in 28.3 overs, with Mohammad Ahmad Shahid unbeaten on 50 and Ghulam Abbas also scoring 50.At Faraz Cricket Ground, Lahore Whites declared their overnight second-innings score of 230 for four, setting Larkana 339 to win. Taj Mohammad took six for 64 as Larkana were dismissed for 162, completing a 176-run win for Lahore Whites.Scores in brief: Third Round (Day 3 of 3) Group A:Rawalpindi U19 beat Abbottabad U19 by one wicket at HPC Faisalabad Cricket GroundAbbottabad 203 all out, 47 overs (Zafar Abbas 83, Mamoon Ur Rasheed 61; Hasan Khan 6-69, Mohammad Zulqurnain Asghar 4-25) and 162 all out, 48.4 overs (Ubaid Ullah 67; Husnain 5-53, Mohammad Hasan Khan 4-49)Rawalpindi 151 all out, 59.2 overs (Mohammad Sohaib 46; Zeeshan Ahmad 5-45, Essa Khan 2-24, Sohail Khan 2-31) and 218-9, 115.3 overs (Mohammad Sohaib 54, Mohammad Ahmad 52; Essa Khan 4-69)Sialkot Whites U19 beat Faisalabad U19 by 10 wickets at Saeed Ajmal Academy, FaisalabadFaisalabad 163 all out, 65.3 overs (Hanzallah Amin 70; Shehryar Waqar 4-45) and 126 all out, 52.4 overs (Mohammad Saim 84; Mohammad Abdul Qadeer 6-42)Sialkot Whites 272-9, 70 overs (Mateen ul Rehman 78; Muhammad Hussnain Jayed 4-44) and 21-0, 4.5 oversGroup B: Peshawar U19 beat Bahawalpur U19 by seven wickets at Ashfaq Cricket Ground, CharsaddaBahawalpur 282 all out, 62 overs (Mohammad Hamza 60, Tayyab Mukhtiar 46; Mohammad Sudais 3-59, Umar Sohail 3-68) and 139 all out, 36.2 overs (Tayyab Mukhtiar 32; Umar Sohail 3-31, Zia Ur Rehman 3-36)Peshawar Whites 336 all out, 69.1 overs (Mohammad Ameer Hamza Khan 110, Muhammad Zohaib 51, Faisal Aziz 50; Sahil Ali 4-91) and 86-3, 15.1 overs (Huzaifa Khan 34 not out)Islamabad U19 beat Karachi Whites by 149 runs at Mir Awais Cricket Ground, PeshawarIslamabad 334-8, 70 overs (Zakirullah 167, Mohammad Abdullah Malik 70; Huzaifa Bin Sajid 6-138) and 177-8 (decl), 47.5 overs (Umar Hayyat 62; Huzaifa Bin Sajid 4-50)Karachi Whites 126 all out, 35.4 overs (Saad Murtaza 44; Mohammad Bilal 3-23, Zakria Sher 3-30, Jawad Ullah Shinwari 3-46) and 236 all out, 73.1 overs (Muhammad Humza Malik 89; Mohammad Bilal 6-34)Group C: Multan U19 beat Quetta U19 by six wickets at CSS Cricket Ground, SialkotQuetta 198 all out, 62.4 overs (Arbaz Khan 48; Ali Husnain Badshah 3-37) and 211 all out, 70.4 overs (Mohammad Zeeshan 52, Wadanullah 52; Mohammad Talha 4-42, Ali Husnain Badshah 3-66)Multan 251 all out, 63.4 overs (Sufyan Amin 53, Mohammad Talha 52, Mohammad Ahmad Shahid 35 not out; Ahsan Ullah 4-31) and 160-4, 28.3 overs (Mohammad Ahmad Shahid 50 not out, Ghulam Abbas 50)Lahore Whites U19 beat Larkana U19 by 176 runs at Faraz Cricket Ground, SialkotLahore Whites 277 all out, 67.5 overs (Ali Khokhar 81, Naveed Ayub Khan 63; Faizan Shabir 4-37) and 230-4 decl, 47.2 overs (Ali Khokhar 101 not out; Haseeb 2-14)Larkana 169 all out, 43.4 overs (Shahjahan 35; Taj Mohammad 5-26) and 162 all out, 53.5 overs (Moharam Ali 39; Taj Mohammad 6-64)Group D: Karachi Blues U19 beat Hyderabad U19 by an innings and 102 runs at Railways Cricket Ground, LahoreHyderabad 106 all out, 33.4 overs (Abdul Ahad 26; Rizwan Ullah 4-20, Niqab Shafiq 3-13) and 98 all out, 31.4 overs (Mohammad Asad 36; Niqab Shafiq 6-18)Karachi Blues 306-6, 70 overs (Huzaifa Ahsan 100 not out, Muhammad Azaan 68, Aun Abbas 46)Sialkot Blues U19 beat DMJ U19 by an innings and 40 runs at Azhar Ali Academy Ground, LahoreDMJ 182 all out, 51.4 overs (Khalid Shah 39; Ahmad Bashir 3-30, Mohammad Ikrash 3-39) and 85 all out, 20.3 overs (Allah Baksh 22; Umar Farooq 5-15, Mohammad Ikrash 5-42)Sialkot Blues 307 all out, 69.2 overs (Mohammad Taha Tariq 118 not out, Hayyam Khan 64; Ishratulebad 5-82, Nadir Ali 3-78).

Islamabad (Sports Reporter): Karachi Blues and Sialkot Blues registered innings wins, while Huzaifa Ahsan, Mohammad Taha Tariq, Mohammad Ameer Hamza Khan and Ali Khokhar score centuries on the second day of the third round of National U19 Championship on Wednesday. Niqab Shafiq, Umar Farooq, Mohammad Ikrash, Taj Mohammad, Zeeshan Ahmad and Husnain also produced five-wicket hauls.Group AAt the HPC Faisalabad Cricket Ground, Rawalpindi resumed at 130-5 in reply to Abbottabad’s 203 and were dismissed for 151 with Zeeshan Ahmad taking 5-45. Abbottabad made 162 in their second innings as Ubaid Ullah scored 67, while Husnain returned 5-53. Chasing 215, Rawalpindi were 58-3 at stumps.At the Saeed Ajmal Academy, Sialkot Whites resumed on 30-1 against Faisalabad’s 163 and reached 272-9, with Mateen ul Rehman scoring 78. Faisalabad ended the day on 86-7 in their second innings as Mohammad Abdul Qadeer took 4-29.Group BPeshawar Whites, resuming at the overnight score of 102-1 against Bahawalpur’s 282, posted 336 with Mohammad Ameer Hamza Khan scoring 110. Bahawalpur were then dismissed for 139, leaving Peshawar 86 to win. At stumps, they were two for no loss.At Mir Awais Ground in Peshawar, Karachi Whites resumed on 73-2 against Islamabad’s 334-8 and were bowled out for 126. Islamabad declared their second innings on 177-8, setting Karachi Whites 386, with the latter finishing on 59-2.Group CIn Sialkot group matches, Multan resumed on 75-3 in reply to Quetta’s 198 and made 251 with Sufyan Amin scoring 53 and Mohammad Talha 52. Quetta, at stumps were 125-8 in their second innings.Larkana resumed on 85-4 against Lahore Whites’ 277 and were dismissed for 169 as Taj Mohammad took 5-26. Ali Khokhar then struck an unbeaten 101 to guide Lahore Whites to 230-4.Group DKarachi Blues completed an innings and a 102-run win over Hyderabad. Resuming on 174-3, Karachi Blues posted 306-6 as Huzaifa Ahsan remained unbeaten on 100. Niqab Shafiq then took 6-18 to dismiss Hyderabad for 98.Sialkot Blues beat DMJ by an innings and 40 runs. Resuming on 148-6, Sialkot Blues reached 307 courtesy Mohammad Taha Tariq’s unbeaten 118 before Umar Farooq took 5-15 and Mohammad Ikrash 5-42 to bowl DMJ out for 85.Scores in brief:Third Round (Day 2 of 3)Group AAbbottabad U19 v Rawalpindi U19 at HPC Faisalabad Cricket GroundAbbottabad 203 all out, 47 overs (Zafar Abbas 83, Mamoon Ur Rasheed 61; Hasan Khan 6-69, Mohammad Zulqurnain Asghar 4-25) and 162 all out, 48.4 overs (Ubaid Ullah 67; Husnain 5-53, Mohammad Hasan Khan 4-49)Rawalpindi 151 all out, 59.2 overs (Mohammad Sohaib 46; Zeeshan Ahmad 5-45, Essa Khan 2-24, Sohail Khan 2-31) and 58-3, 27 oversFaisalabad U19 v Sialkot Whites U19 at Saeed Ajmal Academy, FaisalabadFaisalabad 163 all out, 65.3 overs (Hanzallah Amin 70; Shehryar Waqar 4-45) and 86-7, 38 overs (Muhammad Saim 53 not out; Muhammad Abdul Qadeer 4-29)Sialkot Whites 272-9, 70 overs (Mateen ul Rehman 78; Muhammad Hussnain Jayed 4-44)Group BBahawalpur U19 v Peshawar U19 at Ashfaq Cricket Ground, CharsaddaBahawalpur 282 all out, 62 overs (Mohammad Hamza 60, Tayyab Mukhtiar 46; Mohammad Sudais 3-59, Umar Sohail 3-68) and 139 all out, 36.2 overs (Tayyab Mukhtiar 32; Umar Sohail 3-31, Zia Ur Rehman 3-36)Peshawar Whites 336 all out, 69.1 overs (Mohammad Ameer Hamza Khan 110, Muhammad Zohaib 51, Faisal Aziz 50; Sahil Ali 4-91) and 2-0, 2 oversIslamabad U19 v Karachi Whites at Mir Awais Cricket Ground, PeshawarIslamabad 334-8, 70 overs (Zakirullah 167, Mohammad Abdullah Malik 70; Huzaifa Bin Sajid 6-138) and 177-8 (decl), 47.5 overs (Umar Hayyat 62; Huzaifa Bin Sajid 4-50)Karachi Whites 126 all out, 35.4 overs (Saad Murtaza 44; Mohammad Bilal 3-23, Zakria Sher 3-30, Jawad Ullah Shinwari 3-46) and 59-2, 13 oversGroup CMultan U19 v Quetta U19 at CSS Cricket Ground, SialkotQuetta 198 all out, 62.4 overs (Arbaz Khan 48; Ali Husnain Badshah 3-37) and 125-8, 42 overs (Muhammad Zeeshan 52; Mohammad Talha 3-13)Multan 251 all out, 63.4 overs (Sufyan Amin 53, Mohammad Talha 52, Mohammad Ahmad Shahid 35 not out; Ahsan Ullah 4-31)Larkana U19 v Lahore Whites U19 at Faraz Cricket Ground, SialkotLahore Whites 277 all out, 67.5 overs (Ali Khokhar 81, Naveed Ayub Khan 63; Faizan Shabir 4-37) and 230-4, 47.2 overs (Ali Khokhar 101 not out; Haseeb 2-14)Larkana 169 all out, 43.4 overs (Shahjahan 35; Taj Mohammad 5-26)Group DKarachi Blues U19 beat Hyderabad U19 by an innings and 102 runs at Railways Cricket Ground, LahoreHyderabad 106 all out, 33.4 overs (Abdul Ahad 26; Rizwan Ullah 4-20, Niqab Shafiq 3-13) and 98 all out, 31.4 overs (Mohammad Asad 36; Niqab Shafiq 6-18)Karachi Blues 306-6, 70 overs (Huzaifa Ahsan 100 not out, Muhammad Azaan 68, Aun Abbas 46)Sialkot Blues U19 beat DMJ U19 by an innings and 40 runs at Azhar Ali Academy Ground, LahoreDMJ 182 all out, 51.4 overs (Khalid Shah 39; Ahmad Bashir 3-30, Mohammad Ikrash 3-39) and 85 all out, 20.3 overs (Allah Baksh 22; Umar Farooq 5-15, Mohammad Ikrash 5-42)Sialkot Blues 307 all out, 69.2 overs (Mohammad Taha Tariq 118 not out, Hayyam Khan 64; Ishratulebad 5-82, Nadir Ali 3-78).

Lahore (Sports Reporter): State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) opening duo Hasan Raza and Abdullah Fazal dominated the second day of the Al Batal Presents ABS Developers President’s Trophy Grade-I with an unscathed 378-run opening partnership against Ghani at National Ground in Islamabad on Friday. Only 49 overs of play was possible in Abbottabad between Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) and Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), while Markhor IT Solutions had a field day against the struggling Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited. Kingsmen Academy responded well to Pakistan Television with the bat at Diamond Cricket Ground in Islamabad. At National Ground, SBP had collected 378 runs off 68 overs in their first innings after Ghani were bowled out for 322 in 84.1 overs earlier in the day. SBP’s opening batters’ determined display frustrated the Ghani’s bowling attack comprising two Test pacers in Khurram Shahzad and Ubaid Shah and helped them gain a 56-run first innings lead with all wickets intact. Left-handed Hasan, who struck the fastest first-class double ton in Pakistan’s domestic cricket off 190 balls, surpassed his previous best score of 174 in his 203-ball 204-run knock hitting 28 fours and two sixes. Meanwhile, Abdullah, who was playing his first competitive red-ball game since May, registered his fifth first-class century (168 not out, 207b, 19x4s, 4x6s) in his outing. Earlier, Ghani began from overnight score of 263-6 in 72 overs and were bowled out for 322 in 84.1 overs with Ali Razzaq (101, 129b, 13x4s, 3x6s) scoring his second first-class century. For SBP, Arshadullah and Shahid Aziz picked up three wickets each. At Abbottabad Stadium, KRL were 377-8 in 109 overs at close with no.6 batter Sarmad Bhatti unbeaten on 122 off 198 balls with the help of 21 fours. He kept the KRL innings intact by stitching a 145-run partnership with Faheem Ashraf (83, 100b, 16x4s) as the two joined forces at 202-6 after they were 202-5 in 60 overs overnight. Sarmad was 48 not out at start of the day. OGDCL’s Mohammad Hasnain picked up 3-79 in 22 overs, while Razaullah dismissed two batters. At Imran Khan Stadium, SNGPL were reeling at stumps with 32 runs on the board, a further first innings deficit of 402 runs and three batters back in the hut. MIT’s pacer Mohammad Ismail removed Sameer Minhas and Abdullah Shafique, while Mohammad Imran Jnr dismissed Azan Awais. Earlier in the day, MIT declared their innings at 434-9 in 126.5 overs after resuming from overnight score of 258-3 in 79 overs. Centurion Atiq-ur-Rehman fell for 138 – adding just two runs to his score on day two, while his Syed Awad Naqvi’s 258-ball 78-run knock was ended by Sajid Khan. The two had put on a 221-run stand for the fourth wicket.MIT’s lower order batters contributed well with the bat to stretch the score beyond the 400-run mark as Abuzar Tariq (35, 71b, 3x4s), Ismail (35, 46b, 6x4s), Samama Riaz (33, 25b, 5x4s, 1x6) , skipper Khalid Usman (33 not out, 54b, 3x4s, 1x6) and Aamir Jamal (15, 47b) all got starts. For SNGPL, Mohammad Imran (Randhawa) was the standout bowler with figures of 25-7-54-3, Naseem Shah returned figures of 19-6-57-2 and Mohammad Azab 24-3-89-2. At Diamond Ground, Kingsmen Academy’s reply to PTV’s first innings total of 355 was led by Test batter Mohammad Huraira, who struck 133 not out with the help of 20 fours. Kingsmen were 237-2 in 63 overs after Huraira’s 12th first-class ton and his second-wicket alliance of 186 runs with Mohammad Suleman (71, 122b, 4x4s, 3x6s). Test pacer Kashif Ali had claimed the early wicket of previous round’s centurion and Kingsmen skipper Mohammad Tayyab Arif (24, 23b, 3x4s) before giving his team a late breakthrough with the scalp of Suleman. Saud Shakeel saw off 11 balls and was yet to get off the mark when stumps were drawn.  Scores in brief – 3rd round – Day 2 StumpsMatch 9 – State Bank of Pakistan v Ghani at National Ground, Islamabad SBP lead by 56 runs with 10 wickets remaining in first inningsGhani 322 all out, 84.1 overs (Ali Razzaq 101, Mirza Tahir Baig 67, Sharjeel Khan 56, Haseebullah 29, Hussain Talat 27; Arshadullah 3-55, Shahid Aziz 3-60, 2-53)  SBP 378-0, 68 overs (Hasan Raza 204 not out, Abdullah Fazal 168 not out) Match 10 – Khan Research Laboratories v Oil and Gas Development Company Limited v Khan Research Laboratories at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium KRL 377-8, 109 overs (Sarmad Bhatti 122 not out, Faheem Ashraf 83, Abdul Faseeh 36, Iftikhar Ahmed 29, Shahzaib Khan 27, Mohammad Faiq 21; Mohammad Hasnain 3-79, Razaullah 2-103) Match 11 – Markhor IT Solutions v Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited at Imran Khan Cricket Stadium PeshawarSNGPL trail by 402 runs with seven wickets remaining in first innings MIT Solutions 434-9 dec, 126.5 overs (Atiq-ur-Rehman 138, Syed Awad Naqvi 78, Mohammad Ismail 35, Abuzar Tariq 35, Samama Riaz 33, Khalid Usman 33 not out; Muhammad Imran 3-54, Naseem Shah 2-57, Mohammad Azab 2-89)SNGPL 32-3, 9.5 overs (Azan Awais 14; Mohammad Ismail 2-4) Match 12 – Pakistan Television v Kingsmen Academy at Diamond Cricket Ground Kingsmen Academy trail by 118 runs with eight wickets remaining in first innings PTV 355 all out, 73.3 overs (Mohammad Shahzad 114, Sharoon Siraj 72, Mohammad Taha 43, Musa Khan 40, Taimur Khan 31; Muhammad Ilyas 5-129, Muhammad Umar 2-60, Shoaib Afridi 2-92) Kingsmen Academy 237-2, 63 overs (Mohammad Huraira 133 not out, Mohammad Suleman 71, Mohammad Tayyab Arif 24; Kashif Ali 2-57) 

Lahore (Sports Reporter): Ghani steamrolled Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited by an innings and 14 runs to register the first result of the Al Batal Presents ABS Developers President’s Trophy Grade-I 2026-27 as day three of the second round produced exciting action across Islamabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Abbottabad on Sunday. Oil and Gas Development Company Limited also inched closer to win against Kingsmen Academy, while Pakistan Television’s Muhammad Taha registered a magnificent double century – his second of the first-class career against State Bank of Pakistan. Khan Research Laboratories’ Imran Rafiq and Asim Ali Nasir’s twin centuries kept Markhor IT Solutions bowlers in the field on entire day three. At Diamond Cricket Ground Islamabad, Khurram picked up five for 75 to take match figures of nine for 116 as SNGPL copped an innings defeat. SNGPL had resumed from their overnight score of 106-2 in 22 overs and still in a 151-run first innings deficit. Sameer Minhas (96, 115b, 13x4s) had kept SNGPL afloat with his second fifty of the game but fell four runs short of his maiden century in the format as his team lost eight for 97. Ghani’s pace trio of Khurram along with Ali Shabbir and Shoaib Akhtar Jnr – who had taken five-for in first innings – accounted for eight wickets between them. At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, PTV’s left-handed batter Taha struck 225 – falling just one short of his previous best in first-class – as his team posted 469 all out in first innings in reply to SBP’s 433 runs. Taha struck 22 fours and two sixes in the 362 balls he faced and helped his team gain a slim first innings lead of 36 as they resumed from overnight score of 268-3 with Taha on 103 not out. In reply, SBP lost four wickets for 84 runs in 23 overs by close of play and were just 48 runs ahead with skipper Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (43 not out, 36b, 8x4s) and first innings centurion Rameez Aziz (2 not out) on the crease. PTV pacers Haris Rauf, Amad Butt and Musa Khan picked up a wicket each. At Shoaib Akhtar Stadium in Rawalpindi, replying to MIT Solutions’ first innings total of 660, KRL had racked up 423-5 in 133 overs by close of play courtesy a 159-run stand between centurions Asim Ali Nasir (110 not out, 227b, 11x4s, 2x6s) and Imran Rafiq (122, 192b, 19x4s). KRL had begun the day from overnight score of 140-3 in 43 overs with Shahzaib Khan managing to move from 60 to 75 before falling. Imran and Asim joined forces at 198-4 taking the score to 357 before they were parted. Faheem Ashraf was 28 not out off 73 balls at close with Asim. OGDCL needed another 36 runs to win against Kingsmen Academy after they were 85-1 at stumps in 23 overs with Waqar Ahmed unbeaten on 56 off 78 balls. Earlier, Kingsmen Academy could only manage 203 all out in their second innings after incurring a 83-run first innings deficit. Kingsmen began the day with 35 for no loss in nine overs before OGDCL’s pacer Mohammad Salman and left-arm spinner Danish Aziz ripped through their batting with four wickets each. Salman returned figures of 14.5-3-48-4, while Danish’s four came just for seven runs in four overs. Skipper Mohammad Tayyab Arif (56, 76, 9x4s) was again the lone fighter after his first innings century as no one else crossed the 41-run mark except him in the second dig. Scores in brief – 2nd round – Day 3 Stumps Match 5 – Ghani beat Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited by an innings and 14 runs at Diamond Cricket Ground, IslamabadSNGPL 152 all out, 41.5 overs (Sameer Minhas 53, Mohammad Imran 52; Shoaib Akhtar Jnr 5-34, Khurram Shahzad 4-42) and 243 all out, 60.4 overs (Sameer Minhas 96, Omair Bin Yousuf 35, Imran Dogar 25, Khan Zeb 22, Saad Baig 22; Khurram Shahzad 5-74, Ali Shabbir 2-52) Ghani 409 all out, 103.2 overs (Sharjeel Khan 156, Mohammad Rameez Jnr 76, Khawaja Arham 54, Mohsin Riaz 51, Haseebullah 42; Shahnawaz Dahani 3-103, Sajid Khan 2-85, Khan Zeb 2-108) Match 6 – Khan Research Laboratories v Markhor IT Solutions at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium, RawalpindiKRL trail by 237 runs with five wickets remaining in first innings MIT Solutions 660 all out, 126.1 overs (Salman Khan Jnr 181, Mohammad Farooq 163, Atiq-ur-Rehman 142, Samama Riaz 50, Hasnain Nadeem 36, Mohammad Ismail 29; Ahmed Bashir 5-100, Iftikhar Ahmed 2-108, Mohammad Hamza Sohail 2-112) KRL 423-5, 133 overs (Imran Rafiq 122, Asim Ali Nasir 110 not out, Shahzaib Khan 75, Mohammad Faiq 47, Faheem Ashraf 28 not out, Iftikhar Ahmed 24; Mohammad Ismail 2-103) Match 7 – Pakistan Television v State Bank of Pakistan at Abbottabad Cricket StadiumSBP lead by 48 runs with six wickets remaining in second innings SBP 433 all out, 95.1 overs (Rameez Aziz 120, Hasan Raza 75, Naqeebullah 74, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori 66, Sirajuddin 25, Faham-ul-Haq 23; Amad Butt 4-101, Musa Khan 3-79, Haris Rauf 2-88) and 84-4, 23 overs (Mohammad Ghazi Ghori 43 not out, Kamran Ghulam 25) PTV 469 all out, 122.3 overs (Mohammad Taha 225, Yasir Khan 73, Muhammad Shahzad 48, Sharoon Siraj 23; Kashif Bhatti 4-104, Sirajuddin 3-92, Naqeebullah 2-70) Match 8 – Oil and Gas Development Company Limited v Kingsmen Academy at Imran Khan Stadium, Peshawar OGDCL require another 36 runs to win with nine wickets remaining Target for OGDCL – 121 Kingsmen Academy 215 all out, 57.3 overs (Mohammad Tayyab Arif 105, Mohammad Suleman 33, Salman Ali Agha 25; Mohammad Amir Khan 5-51, Mohammad Hasnain 3-36) and 203 all out, 61.5 overs (Mohammad Tayyab Arif 56, Mohammad Arshad 41, Azan Tariq 30, Mohammad Huraira 26, Mohammad Shayan 22; Danish Aziz 4-7, Mohammad Salman 4-48)OGDCL 298 all out, 89 overs (Danish Aziz 93 not out, Rohail Nazir 81, Mohammad Irfan 21; Mohammad Ilyas 4-57, Mehran Mumtaz 2-27, Salman Ali Agha 2-58) and 85-1, 23 overs (Waqar Ahmed 56 not out, Umar Siddiq 23 not out)

Lahore (Sports Reporter): Eight matches were played on the opening day of the National U19 Cup (One-Day), with Faisalabad, Sialkot Whites, Bahawalpur, Lahore Blues, Multan, FATA, Karachi Blues and Peshawar Blues registering wins in their respective first-round fixtures.At the Saeed Ajmal Academy in Faisalabad, Faisalabad defeated Abbottabad by six wickets. Abbottabad were bowled out for 125 in 33.1 overs, with Adil Waheed remaining unbeaten on 37. Shahzaib Zafar returned three for 29. Faisalabad achieved the target in 29.1 overs, reaching 129 for four with Hamza Liaqat scoring 29.Sialkot Whites beat AJK by 66 runs at the HPC Faisalabad Cricket Ground. Sialkot Whites posted 241 for nine in their 50 overs, with Mohammad Fahad, Ghulam Haider and Mohammad Abdul Qadeer scoring half-centuries. Zahid Munawar bagged six for 14 as AJK were dismissed for 175 in 49.1 overs.In Group B, Bahawalpur beat Islamabad by four wickets after chasing 167 in 36.3 overs, with Mohammad Rehan scoring 50. Lahore Blues beat Karachi Whites by 24 runs at the Ashfaq Cricket Ground in Charsadda. Hammad Asif’s 73 and Muhammad Hamza Bajwa’s 62 helped Lahore Blues post 293 for eight before Karachi Whites were bowled out for 269.In Group C fixture, Multan registered an eight-wicket win over Larkana after Mohammad Haseeb Zia took six for 23. FATA beat Lahore Whites by five wickets, with Shahid Khan taking five wickets for 23 runs.In Group D, Karachi Blues beat DM Jamali by four wickets, while Peshawar Blues recorded the biggest win of the round, beating Sialkot Blues by 180 runs. Haroon Rasheed scored 76 for Peshawar Blues, while Muhammad Awais took six for 21.The second round of the National U19 Cup will be played on Saturday, 26 September.Scores in brief:Group AFaisalabad beat Abbottabad by six wickets at Saeed Ajmal Academy, FaisalabadAbbottabad 125 all out, 33.1 overs (Adil Waheed 37 not out; Shahzaib Zafar 3-29)Faisalabad 129-4, 29.1 overs (Hamza Liaqat 29; Zeeshan Ahmad 2-41)Sialkot Whites beat AJK by 66 runs at HPC Faisalabad Cricket Ground, FaisalabadSialkot Whites 241-9, 50 overs (Mohammad Fahad 58, Ghulam Haider 50, Muhammad Abdul Qadeer 50; Abu Bakar Minhas 3-39, Mohammad Zeeshan Daud 3-39)AJK 175 all out, 49.1 overs (Uzair Rauf 40; Zahid Munawar 6-14)Group BBahawalpur beat Islamabad by four wickets at Mir Awais Cricket Ground, PeshawarIslamabad 166 all out, 41.2 overs (Mohammad Bilal 33; Tayyab Mukhtiar 4-18, Azad Khan 3-21)Bahawalpur 167-6, 36.3 overs (Muhammad Rehan 50; Adil Khan 2-31, Jawad Ullah 2-33)Lahore Blues beat Karachi Whites by 24 runs at Ashfaq Cricket Ground, CharsaddaLahore Blues 293-8, 50 overs (Hammad Asif 73, Muhammad Hamza Bajwa 62; Akhtar Ali 2-29)Karachi Whites 269 all out, 48.4 overs (Ahmed Shehzad 62, Muhammad Akber 53; Naqeebullah 3-40)Group CMultan beat Larkana by eight wickets at Faraz Cricket Ground, SialkotLarkana 108 all out, 29.1 overs (Moharam Ali 25; Mohammad Haseeb Zia 6-23, Ghulam Abbas 4-20)Multan 109-2, 17 overs (Muzamil Yasin 54)FATA beat Lahore Whites by five wickets at SOS Cricket Ground, SialkotLahore Whites 131 all out, 37.2 overs (Phool Ali 38; Shahid Khan 5-23)FATA 134-5, 25.1 overs (Muhammad Abbas Afridi 42; Taj Muhammad 3-29)Group DKarachi Blues beat DM Jamali by four wickets at Azhar Ali Academy Ground, LahoreDM Jamali 84 all out, 27.2 overs (Ahmed Ali 23; Asad Umar 5-15)Karachi Blues 88-6, 18.4 overs (Huzaifa Ahsan 23; Farhanullah 3-30)Peshawar Blues beat Sialkot Blues by 180 runs at Railways Cricket Ground, LahorePeshawar 266-8, 50 overs (Haroon Rasheed 76; Ahmed Bashir 3-34)Sialkot Blues 86 all out, 25.2 overs (Farman Ali 35; Mohammad Awais 6-21)

Rawalpindi (Sports Reporter):The opening day of the second round of President’s Trophy Grade-I saw centuries from MIT’s Mohammad Farooq, Salman Khan Jnr, Atiq-ur-Rehman, Ghani’s Sharjeel Khan and Kingsmen Academy’s Mohammad Tayyab Arif as action unfolded across Islamabad, Abbottabad, Peshawar and Rawalpindi on Friday. Ghani’s Shoaib Akhtar Jnr and OGDCL’s Mohammad Amir Khan were the two pacers who snared five-wicket hauls on the first day. At Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi, MIT won the toss and elected to bat first as their opening batters Mohammad Farooq and Hasnain Nadeem (36, 76b, 7x4s) took only 21.5 overs to raise a 133-run stand. Farooq walked in all guns blazing and scored 163 off 99 balls hitting 11 fours and 14 sixes. The aggressive opening batter reached the three-digit mark off just 67 balls and also overtook Majid Khan’s record for most sixes by a Pakistan batter in a first-class innings. It is also hiss third first-class and second consecutive ton. Following Farooq’s departure, Atiq-ur-Rehman (142, 137b, 17x4s, 2x6s) and Salman Khan Jnr (106 not out, 199b, 12x4s, 1x6) took the Khan Research Laboratories bowlers to sword with a massive 217-run stand for the fourth wicket as both registered centuries. With Atiq scoring his second first-class ton and Salman hitting his fifth, MIT finished the day with 476-4 on the board in 87.2 overs at stumps. At Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad, Ghani had a dominant day with both bat and ball against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited by first dismissing them for 152 in 41.5 overs and then responded with 192-2 in 41 overs by close of play. After putting SNGPL in to bat, Ghani’s pace bowling duo of Shoaib Akhtar Jnr and Khurram Shahzad shared nine wickets between them, while Shoaib also run out Omair Bin Yousuf for one. Shoaib returned figures of 12.5-2-34-5 picking his fourth first-class five-for, while Khurram bagged four for 42. In turn, Sharjeel Khan brought up his 15th first-class century in a blistering 156-run knock off just 120 balls with the help of 25 fours and five sixes. He shared a 186-run second-wicket stand with Khawaja Arham (33, not out, 114b, 2x4s) after Mirza Tahir Baig had fallen for a golden duck.At Imran Khan Stadium in Peshawar, Kingsmen Academy were rolled for 215 in 57.3 overs with their skipper Mohammad Tayyab Arif standing tall with his maiden first-class century against the fast bowling might of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL).Tayyab – playing just his second first-class game, walked in at no.3 with 20 runs on the board and steered the innings with a fluent 105 off 110 balls hitting 14 fours and three sixes. Kingsmen lost seven wickets for 44 runs as Mohammad Suleman (33, 95b, 3x4s) and Salman Ali Agha (25, 41b, 2x4s) fell after getting starts. Pacer Mohammad Amir Khan ran through their batting with figures of 5-51 in 13 overs, while Mohammad Hasnain backed him up with three for 36 in 12.3 overs. Niaz Khan picked up one wicket. Amir registered his fifth five-wicket haul in the format in his 28th first-class game. Abbottabad Cricket Stadium saw an attritional day’s play between State Bank of Pakistan and Pakistan Television. SBP were 278-9 in 71 overs at stumps with opening batter Hasan Raza (75, 106b, 9x4s) and incoming skipper Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (66, 79b, 9x4s) scoring half-centuries. No.7 batter Rameez Aziz was unbeaten on 42 off 73 balls at stumps. For PTV, Musa Khan and Amad Butt picked up three wickets each, Haris Rauf dismissed two batters for 73 runs in his 18 overs. Scores in brief – 2nd round – Day 1 Stumps Match 5 – Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited v Ghani at Diamond Cricket Ground, IslamabadGhani lead by 40 runs with eight wickets remaining in second innings SNGPL 152 all out, 41.5 overs (Sameer Minhas 53, Muhammad Imran 52; Shoaib Akhtar Jnr 5-34, Khurram Shahzad 4-42) Ghani 192-2, 41 overs (Sharjeel Khan 156, Khawaja Arham 33 not out; Shahnawaz Dahani 2-58) Match 6 – Khan Research Laboratories v Markhor IT Solutions at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium, RawalpindiMIT Solutions 476-4, 87.2 overs (Mohammad Farooq 163, Atiq-ur-Rehman 142, Salman Khan Jnr 106 not out, Hasnain Nadeem 36; Ahmed Bashir 2-53) Match 7 – Pakistan Television v State Bank of Pakistan at Abbottabad Cricket StadiumSBP 278-9, 71 overs (Hasan Raza 75, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori 66, Rameez Aziz 42 not out, Sirajuddin 25, Faham-ul-Haq 23; Musa Khan 3-47, Amad Butt 3-60, Haris Rauf 2-73)  Match 8 – Oil and Gas Development Company Limited v Kingsmen Academy at Imran Khan Stadium, Peshawar Kingsmen Academy 215 all out, 57.3 overs (Mohammad Tayyab Arif 105, Mohammad Suleman 33, Salman Ali Agha 25; Mohammad Amir Khan 5-51, Mohammad Hasnain 3-36)OGDCL 57-3, 15 overs (Saad Khan 19; Mohammad Ilyas 2-31) 

Lahore (Sports News): A total of 12 pacers and eight spinners have been called up to the National Cricket Academy in Lahore for a two-phase bowlers’ development camp in line with the academy’s player development programme, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced today. Among these are seven uncapped fast bowlers and one uncapped spinner.In the first phase, pacers will undergo a robust five-day camp under the supervision of NCA coaches from 24 to 28 August, while the spinners are set to attend the camp from 31 August to 4 September. During the five-day period, these bowlers will work closely with the NCA and the men’s white-ball team coaches. It will include in-depth work on the technical and tactical skills along with a review of their performance in the recent-most competitive cricket that they have played. Among the fast bowlers, Razaullah (Peshawar region), Mohammad Salman (Lahore region), Qayyum Khan (Faisalabad region), Abdul Subhan (Sialkot region), Abuzar, Mohammad Imran Jnr (both Peshawar region) and Muhammad Imran (Bahawalpur region) are uncapped, while Mohammad Salman Mirza, Ahmed Daniyal (both Lahore region), Akif Javed (FATA region), Mohammad Hasnain (Hyderabad region) and Faheem Ashraf (Faisalabad region) are capped. The spinners include the uncapped Mehran Mumtaz, while Mubasir Khan, Saad Masood (all Rawalpindi region), Faisal Akram, Arafat Minhas (both Multan region), Abrar Ahmed, Danish Aziz (both Karachi region) and Mohammad Nawaz (Rawalpindi region) are capped. Among the cohort of 20 players, only the tearaway pacer Qayyum is yet to make his competitive cricket debut. He made a solitary appearance in this year’s President’s Trophy Grade-II Silver for Sports Board Punjab.

Shaheen’s 7-36 inspire Sparco Paints Pakistan Gold to National Champions Cup titleMultan (Irum Abdullah): Shaheen Shah Afridi led Sparco Paints Pakistan Gold to the Al Batal Presents University of Lahore National Champions Cup 2026-27 title with a stunning haul of seven for 36 including a hat-trick as Rivaj Pakistan Greens fell short by 101 runs in the final chasing 341 here at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night. The seventh and final match of the tournament concluded with Fazal Mahmood and Imran Khan stands packed to capacity. Pakistan Gold won the toss and were led to a strong total after opting to bat first by two southpaws Shamyl Hussain and Saad Khan who both registered sparkling centuries and shared a 137-run stand. In turn, Greens were cruising at 143-1 in 20.4 before they crashed spectacularly, losing nine for 96, seven of which were plucked by Shaheen as he finished the game with hat-trick. Shaheen’s 7-36 in 8.3 overs are his best List A figures and his fourth haul of five or more wicket in the format. He also claimed the 19th List-A hat-trick on Pakistan soil along with returning ninth best List-A figures in Pakistan. Greens got off to a brisk start collecting 53 runs before Fakhar fell to off-spinner Mubasir Khan for a 28-ball 31. Saad Baig (67, 51b, 9x4s, 2x6s) and Omair Bin Yousuf (44, 50b, 2x4s, 2x6s) then steered the chase with a brisk 90-run stand which felt like taking the game away from Gold but they struck back with Razaullah removing the latter. Faisal Akram then pinned Saad in 22nd overr before Shaheen got into the act by first claiming Farhan Yousuf, then Shadab Khan and Mohammad Suleman both in 27th over. With Greens 167-6 in 26.5 overs, Faheem Ashraf (38, not out, 30b, 4x4s, 1x6) and Naseem Shah (31, 27b, 2x4s, 2x6s) arrested the imminent collapse with a threatening 61-run stand which was broken by Shaheen in 36th over. The Pakistan ODI captain returned in 38th over to claim Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza and Mohammad Hasnain on the first three balls and finished the game in style. Earlier, Shamyl registered his third List-A century, while Saad scored his second in the format as they showcased their talent with the bat. The duo were united at the crease in the 17th over and separated in the 34th. Shamyl had first shared a 78-run opening stand with Muhammad Akhlaq (31, 44b, 4x4s), while Kamran Ghulam departed early. Shamyl brought up his century in style with consecutive sixes against Mohammad Hasnain in the 29th over before falling for 111 off 93 balls (11x4s, 4x6s). Saad fell for 112 off 102 balls and struck 11 fours and four sixes in his outing. Abdul Samad (25, 25, 1x4, 2x6s) and Mubasir (21, 17b, 1x4, 1x6) contributed enough to stretch the score well beyond the 300-run mark. For the Greens, Shaheen, Faheem and Shadab picked up two wickets each, while Mehran and Hasnain accounted for one batter each. Scores in brief Pakistan Gold 340 all out, 50 overs (Saad Khan 112, Shamyl Hussain 111, Mohammad Akhlaq 31, Abdul Samad 25, Mubasir Khan 21; Faheem Ashraf 2-40, Shadab Khan 2-45, Naseem Shah 2-59) Pakistan Greens 239 all out, 37.3 overs (Saad Baig 67, Omair Bin Yousuf 44, Faheem Ashraf 38 not out, Naseem Shah 31, Fakhar Zaman 31; Shaheen Shah Afridi 7-36) Player of the match – Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan Gold) Best batter and player of the tournament – Fakhar Zaman (260 runs, 1 wicket) Best bowler of the tournament – Shaheen Shah Afridi (9 wickets) Best wicketkeeper of the tournament - Saad Baig (170 runs, 5 dismissals)  Tournament results: (All matches at Multan Cricket Stadium)11 August – Pakistan Greens beat Pakistan Whites by five wickets 12 August – Pakistan Blues beat Pakistan Gold by six wickets 13 August –Pakistan Whites beat Pakistan Blues by six runs           14 August – Pakistan Greens beat Pakistan Gold by 128 runs 15 August – Pakistan Greens beat Pakistan Blues by 192 runs 16 August – Pakistan Gold beat Pakistan Whites by five wickets 18 August – Final – Pakistan Gold beat Pakistan Greens by 101 runs 

Multan (Sadia Yousaf): Shaheen Shah Afridi-led Sparco Paints Pakistan Gold qualified for the final of the National Champions Cup 2026-27 after they thumped UOL Pakistan Whites by five wickets, chasing the 173-run target with 132 balls to spare here at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Rivaj Pakistan Greens led by Shadab Khan will now face Shaheen’s outfit in the final of the tournament at the same venue on Tuesday with the coin toss scheduled for 2.30pm and first ball expected to be bowled at 3pm. Gold had lost their opening two matches and were faced with the equation of not just winning the game but also with a better net run rate than that of Blues and their today’s opponents Whites. They were required to hunt the 173-run target in 32.1 overs but they did it in 28, finishing level with Whites and Blues on points but slightly better net run rate. Gold’s Haider Ali starred with 69 not out at no.5 after the top three had perished by the end of the powerplay in the chase. On Sunday, player of the match and captain Shaheen won the toss and invited Whites to bat first. He led the charge with figures of 8-0-26-3 and was ably supported by pacers Mohammad Imran (5-0-25-1) and Razaullah (6-1-25-1) along with the spin duo of Mubasir Khan (10-0-29-2), Faisal Akram (9.4-1-48-2). Whites kept on losing wickets at regular intervals as only Hasan Nawaz (55, 74b, 3x4s, 2x6s) and Saim Ayub (28, 39b, 4x4s) crossed the 20-run mark, while the highest stand in their innings came between Hasan and Saad Masood for the sixth wicket. Hasan walked in to bat in the 13th over after Shahzaib Khan, Haseebullah and Usman Khan had returned to the dugout for single-digit scores. Soon Hasan also saw the back of Saim in 15th over and Khushdil Shah in 22nd. With the Gold bowlers charged up, Hasan and Saad (20, 21b, 2x4s) added 45 runs together adding some competitiveness to the contest. Shaheen removed Hasan for his second scalp and Mohammad Wasim Jnr (18, 29b, 2x4s) for his third, while Faisal Akram claimed Saqib Khan and Ali Raza as Whites lost their last four wickets for 24 runs. In turn, Haider and Saad Khan made sure Gold do not stutter in their chase after no.3 Kamran Ghulam had contributed a 26-ball 30, while the opening duo of Shamyl Hussain and Mohammad Akhlaq scored 15 each in the total of 61-3. The right-left pair of Haider and Saad (33, 55b, 3x4s) frustrated Whites bowlers with the former being the aggressor and the latter supporting with his grit in a crucial 86-run stand. Haider struck seven fours and three sixes in his 48-ball knock and despite Wasim Jnr claiming Saad and Ali Raza accounting for Abdul Samad in 25th and 26th over, the Gold cruised home in 28 overs – 25 balls before the required equation to qualify on net run rate. Wasim Jnr picked up two wickets, Ali, Saim and Shahnawaz Dahani picked up one wicket each for Whites. Scores in brief Pakistan Whites 172 all out, 41.4 overs (Hasan Nawaz 55, Saim Ayub 28, Saad Masood 20; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-26, Mubasir Khan 2-29, Faisal Akram 2-48) Pakistan Gold 173-5, 28 overs (Haider Ali 69 not out, Saad Khan 33, Kamran Ghulam 30; Mohammad Wasim Jnr