SNGPL beat WAPDA by 519 runs to win President's Trophy 2023-24

Rawalpindi:  Century by Bilawal Bhatti and nine wickets in the match from Shahnawaz Dahani led SNGPL to a massive 519-run win over WAPDA in the final of the President’s Trophy Grade-I here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Sunday.

The match ended inside third day of the five-day final. SNGPL not only won the trophy, but also took away prize money of PKR three million. WAPDA had to settle for the runners-up trophy and prize money of PKR 1.5 million

Resuming their second innings at the overnight score of 121 for five in 36 overs, SNGPL declared their innings at 346 for eight in 82 overs, courtesy century by Bilawal Bhatti (101, 114b, 14x4s, 2x6s) and 91 from Mubasir Khan. The pair knitted a 108-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Mubasir’s innings included 14 fours and a six.

For WAPDA, Asif Afridi was the most successful bowler, taking five wickets for 149 runs.

In turn, chasing 686 to win, WAPDA were dismissed for 166 for nine in 32 overs. Ayaz Tasawar, coming to bat at number six, top-scored for his side with a 30-ball 51, smashing seven fours and three sixes. Test batter Umar Akmal, who scored 28 runs in the first innings, didn’t come to bat in the second innings as he was ill.

Right-arm fast Shahnawaz Dahani, who bagged seven wickets in the first innings, managed to get two scalps in the second innings, and ended up with match figures of 94 runs for nine wickets. Left-arm pacer Mir Hamza was the most successful bowler in the second innings, grabbing three wickets for 50 runs in nine overs.

Dahani and Sahibzada Farhan were declared joint player of the match. KRL’s Abdul Faseeh and Ghani Glass’ Mohammad Rameez Jnr were declared joint player of the tournament.

Scores in brief:

SNGPL beat WAPDA by 519 runs

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) and 346-8 decl, 82 overs (Bilawal Bhatti 101, Mubasir Khan 91, Abid Ali 38, Saud Shakeel 34, Kamran Ghulam 28; Asif Afridi 5-149, Ali Shafique 2-53)

WAPDA 140 all out, 34.4 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 52, Umar Akmal 28; Shahnawaz Dahani 7-42, Mir Hamza 2-30) and 166-9, 32 overs (Ayaz Tasawar 51, Umar Abid Kayani 40; Mir Hamza 3-50, Bilawal Bhatti 2-29, Shahnawaz Dahani 2-52)

Player of the match – Shahnawaz Dahani and Sahibzada Farhan (SNGPL) PKR 100,000

Player of the tournament – Abdul Faseeh (KRL, 637 runs from six matches, 3x100s, 1x50) and Mohammad Rameez Jnr (Ghani Glass, 42 wickets from five matches, five five-wicket hauls) PKR 100,000

Best batter of the tournament – Abdul Faseeh (KRL) PKR 100,000

Best bowler of the tournament – Mohammad Rameez Jnr (Ghani Glass) PKR 100,000

Best wicket-keeper of the tournament – Shahbaz Javed (Ghani Glass, 26 dismissals) PKR 100,000