President’s Cup: Mohammad Faizan’s All-Round Show Powers SBP to Dominant Win

President’s Cup: Mohammad Faizan’s All-Round Show Powers SBP to Dominant Win

President’s Cup: Mohammad Faizan’s All-Round Show Powers SBP to Dominant Win: In the opening round of the President’s Cup one-day tournament, Mohammad Faizan’s brilliant all-round performance led State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to a commanding nine-wicket victory over the Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Thursday. Meanwhile, Mohammad Arif’s unbeaten century helped Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) secure an eight-wicket win against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL).

In Group B, Ghani Glass outclassed Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) by 19 runs on the DLS method, and Pakistan Television (PTV) registered a 31-run victory against Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) in rain-affected matches.

Group A:

SBP vs HEC
At the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad, SBP’s Mohammad Faizan delivered an exceptional performance both with the ball and the bat. After being asked to bat first, HEC struggled against Faizan’s lethal bowling, managing only 111 runs before being bowled out in 38 overs. HEC’s captain Aaliyan Mahmood top-scored with 24 runs, while Faizan claimed five wickets for just 24 runs in his 10 overs. Saqib Khan and Kashif Bhatti supported with three and two wickets, respectively.

Chasing the modest target, SBP reached 113 in just 11.5 overs, losing only one wicket. Faizan, who had already dominated with the ball, smashed an unbeaten 84 off 43 balls, featuring 11 boundaries and four sixes, guiding his team to a comprehensive nine-wicket win.

WAPDA vs KRL
In the other Group A match, WAPDA faced KRL at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium. KRL, after opting to bat, put up a respectable total of 238 in 50 overs. Maaz Sadaqat top-scored with a gritty 74, while Naseerullah Khan and Rohail Nazir contributed 36 and 33 not out, respectively. For WAPDA, Ali Raza and Mohammad Zeeshan were the standout bowlers, each taking three wickets.

In response, WAPDA chased down the target comfortably in 38.5 overs for the loss of only two wickets. Mohammad Arif played a match-winning knock of 100* off 115 balls, with Iftikhar Ahmed also contributing 56* off 44 balls. The two batsmen shared an unbeaten partnership that sealed the victory.

Group B:

Ghani Glass vs SNGPL
At Saeed Sports City in Lahore, Ghani Glass beat SNGPL by 19 runs on the DLS method after bad light interrupted play. SNGPL batted first, posting a challenging 306-8 in their allotted 50 overs. Haseebullah was the star for SNGPL with a superb 128, while Omair Bin Yousuf added 82. For Ghani Glass, Ubaid Shah was the pick of the bowlers, taking four wickets for 48 runs.

In reply, Ghani Glass reached 273-3 in 45 overs when the game was halted. Tayyab Tahir anchored the chase with an unbeaten 128, supported by Hussain Talat’s 79. The duo’s 180-run partnership for the third wicket ensured a comfortable position for Ghani Glass before the match ended.

PTV vs OGDCL
At the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, PTV claimed a 31-run victory against OGDCL using the DLS method. Batting first, PTV posted a formidable total of 320-8 in their 50 overs, thanks to Amad Butt’s 105 and Faheem Ashraf’s 88. OGDCL’s Muhammad Umar was the most successful bowler with three wickets.

In reply, OGDCL were 250-7 in 45 overs when bad light stopped play. Despite half-centuries from Abbas Ali (72) and captain Adil Amin (62), OGDCL fell short of the revised target. PTV’s Faisal Akram, Faheem, and Israr Hussain all picked up two wickets each to secure the win for their team.

Scores in Brief:

Group A:

• SBP beat HEC by nine wickets
  HEC 111 all out in 38 overs (Aaliyan Mahmood 24; Mohammad Faizan 5-24, Saqib Khan 3-21)
  SBP 113-1 in 11.5 overs (Mohammad Faizan 84*)
• WAPDA beat KRL by eight wickets
  KRL 238 all out in 50 overs (Maaz Sadaqat 74, Naseerullah Khan 36; Mohammad Zeeshan 3-54, Ali Raza 3-59)
  WAPDA 239-2 in 38.5 overs (Mohammad Arif 100*, Iftikhar Ahmed 56*)

Group B:

• Ghani Glass beat SNGPL by 19 runs (DLS)
  SNGPL 306-8 in 50 overs (Haseebullah 128, Omair Bin Yousuf 82; Ubaid Shah 4-48)
  Ghani Glass 273-3 in 45 overs (Tayyab Tahir 128*, Hussain Talat 79)
• PTV beat OGDCL by 31 runs (DLS)
  PTV 320-8 in 50 overs (Amad Butt 105, Faheem Ashraf 88; Muhammad Umar 3-74)
  OGDCL 250-7 in 45 overs (Abbas Ali 72, Adil Amin 62)

The second round of matches will be played on Saturday, 5 October.