ISLAMABAD: Three centuries on the opening day of the President’s Trophy Grade-I at the Pindi Stadium propelled Sui Northern Gas (SNGPL) to a strong position against Wapda.
On a day that saw some attacking stroke-making display, SNGPL reached 479 for 7 in just eighty overs. Put into bat first SNGPL were served well by Kamran Ghulam (101), Sahibzada Farhan (161) and Saud Shakeel (123 not out). After losing Test discard Abid Ali for no score, right-handed batters Sahibzada Farhan and Kamran Ghulam got together and knitted a 214-run partnership for the second wicket to set up the stage for a big total.
Sahibzada, who has featured in five T20Is for Pakistan, top-scored for the side, scoring 161 off 206 balls, hitting 22 fours and two sixes. The 28-year-old Kamran was the second centurion for his side in the first innings. He scored a 136-ball 101, which included 16 fours.
Saud Shakeel, who has featured in 10 Test matches, and was also part of the Pakistan squad against Australia recently, returned undefeated on 123 off 81 balls, after smashing 12 fours and four sixes.
That SNGPL managed to score around six an over in 80 overs was largely due to a quick-fire 44 off 20 balls from Mubasir Khan. The right-handed batter, coming to bat at number seven, struck four sixes and two fours over the course of his innings.
For WAPDA, captain Iftikhar Ahmed and Tahir Hussain bagged two wickets apiece. Scores in brief:
SNGPL 479-7, 80 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 161, Saud Shakeel 123 not out, Kamran Ghulam 101, Mubasir Khan 44; Tahir Hussain 2-78, Iftikhar Ahmed 2-105)
WAPDA 5-0 (awarded five runs after SNGPL were penalised for a short-run).