LAHORE: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) returned to winning ways after their record-breaking defeat against Pakistan Television (PTV) in the fifth round of President’s Trophy Cricket Championship securing a 53-run victory over Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) at the KCCA Stadium on Friday afternoon.
The result has reignited their campaign and placed them firmly in contention for the tournament final. SNGPL now sit joint-top of the points table alongside WAPDA, both teams collecting 114 points from six matches with four wins each. KRL, despite their defeat, remain in second place with 97 points but will need a strong result in their final round clash against Ghani Glass to keep their hopes alive. The seventh round begins on Monday, February 2, across four Karachi venues, with all eight teams in action and the top four vying for two final spots.
On Friday, KRL were tasked with chasing down the remaining 120 runs to reach a 234-run target, with four wickets in hand. Facing a formidable bowling attack led by Test pacer Mohammad Ali and Test spinner Sajid Khan, the challenge proved too steep. SNGPL took 25.1 overs to claim the final four wickets, despite resistance from skipper Iftikhar Ahmed and Hamza Nazar, who stitched together a 56-run seventh-wicket stand.
Iftikhar battled hard, scoring 63 off 176 balls, but was eventually trapped leg-before by Ali, who was later named Player of the Match for his outstanding figures of 20.1-5-42-4. Hamza contributed 32 off 76 balls, but once he fell, the tail collapsed quickly, with the last three batters facing just 41 deliveries combined. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Irfan chipped in with 3 for 24, while Sajid Khan accounted for two wickets, ensuring SNGPL sealed the win.
SNGPL will face seventh-placed Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) in their final round fixture, while WAPDA take on a resurgent State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), who climbed from sixth to fourth after an innings victory.
