Iftikhar, Abbas, Rameez sizzle as President’s Trophy begins under new playing conditions

LAHORE: The President’s Trophy first-class kicked off at Karachi’s different venues on Saturday under the new playing conditions which already have invited criticism from the cricket experts around the country.

Unlike in the past this time teams first innings have been restricted to 80 overs a side.

Outfits piling up 350 or more runs will earn a batting bonus point.

However a bonus point will be awarded to the bowling side if they manage to dismiss the rivals within the stipulated 80 overs.

Secondly if the skipper of the batting side chooses to declare the innings before completing 80 overs, the bowling side will be awarded the bonus point.

Meanwhile on the opening day at the National Bank Stadium Karachi Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) managed a total of 371-7 in the stipulated 80 overs in the first innings against Ghani Glass as the top four batters returned with half-centuries.

Openers Abid Ali (90, 163b, 13x4s) and Sahibzada Farhan (67, 70b, 9x4s, 1×6) put on an opening partnership of 125. Omair Bin Yousuf (56, 83b, 5x4s, 1×6) and Asad Shafiq (81, 85b, 9x4s, 1×6) kept the scoreboard ticking.

Leg-spinner Mohammad Rameez Junior bagged six wickets for 130 runs in his 24 overs.

Ghani Glass will begin the second day with opening batters Farhan Sarfraz and Shahbaz Javed on the crease having faced three overs, without scoring any runs, before the close of play on day one.

At the SBP Sports Complex Pakistan Television (PTV) were bundled out for a paltry 66 in the first session with just two batters managing to get into double figures against State Bank of Pakistan.

Mohammad Abbas wreaked havoc on his way to his 44th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. He returned with figures 6-19.

His fellow fast bowlers, Sameen Gul and Mohammad Ilyas, played the supporting roles; Sameen picked up three and Ilyas took one scalp. In reply, SBP amassed 201 for one wicket till the close of play. The 32-year-old Zain Abbas (109 not out, 154b, 13x4s, 3x6s) struck his 10th first-class hundred.

Veteran batter Umar Amin chipped in with an unbeaten 64 as the duo stitched a 159-run unbeaten partnership. SBP will start day two proceedings with 34 overs left in their first innings and nine wickets in the bag. Jahandad Khan managed the solitary SBP wicket.

At the UBL Sports Complex Khan Research Laboratories’ (KRL) decision to bat first backfired as WAPDA batters amassed a huge first innings total. KRL bowlers struggled to stop the run flow after Mohammad Imran struck early.

The 13th first-class ton for Iftikhar Ahmed (155, 180b, 15x4s, 4x6s) and maiden first-class ton for Mohammad Saleem meant (117, 221b, 12x4s) that WAPDA notched 322-6 in the allotted 80 overs.

Imran bagged three wickets in total while Kashif Ali, Mohammad Amir Khan and Shayan Sheikh managed one each.