LAHORE  -  Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) beat Higher Education Commission (HEC) by 16 runs in the last round of the league stage of President’s Cup Grade-I 2023-24 at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium Rawalpindi.

Abdul Samad’s blazing ton (115, 92b, 10x4s, 5x6s) along with Omair Bin Yusuf’s 78 propelled SNGPL to 313-9 in 50 overs. HEC’s Aqib Liaqat and Asif Ali Chandio dismissed three batters each in their respective spells.

HEC stumbled in their pursuit of the target but Mohammad Junaid’s fighting knock of 103 off 109 balls punctuated with three fours and six maximums helped them challenge SNGPL.Shahnawaz Dahani effected a lower-order collapse with the valuable scalp of Junaid and registered his second five-wicket haul of the tournament to bundle out HEC for 297.

At Diamond Club Ground, Ghani Glass’ Saad Nasim struck a sublime 100 off 96 balls with the help of six fours and three sixes as his team ended up scoring 292-8 in 50 overs against State Bank of Pakistan. Sharjeel Khan earlier set the tone with a breezy half-century (64, 59b, 10x4s, 1x6).SBP’s Kashif Bhatti and Mohammad Faizan shared five wickets.

In return, SBP made light work of the chase as opening batter Faizan came out all guns blazing hitting a 93-ball 117 comprising 14 boundaries and five sixes. Mohammad Mohsin chipped in with an undefeated half-century (54 not out, 44b, 8x4s, 1x6). SBP cruised to victory with six wickets in the bag and 30 balls to spare.

The semi-finals of the tournament will take place on 9 and 10 May with SNGPL taking on SBP and HEC facing Ghani Glass, respectively at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.In the third match between Pakistan Television (PTV) and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, PTV emerged victorious, beat WAPDA by 110 runs.

Scores in Brief

SBP 295-4, 45 overs (Mohammad Faizan 117, M Mohsin 54*, Zain Abbas 50; Saeed Ali 2-40) beat GHANI GLASS 292-8, 50 overs (Saad Nasim 100, Sharjeel Khan 64, Hussain Talat 41; Kashif Bhatti 3-39, Mohammad Faizan 2-29) by 6 wickets.
SNGPL 313-9, 50 overs (Abdul Samad 115, Omair Bin Yousuf 78; Aqib Liaqat 3-68, Asif Ali Chandio 3-74) beat HEC 297 all out, 49.1 overs (M Junaid 103, M Mohsin 42; Shahnawaz Dahani 5-48, Hunain Shah 2-22) by 16 runs.
PTV 304-5, 50 overs (Ali Nasir 119, M Suleman 75; M Zeeshan 2-56, Shahzad Ahmed 2-60) beat WAPDA 194 all out, 35.1 overs (Bismillah Khan 53, M Zeeshan 53; Faisal Akram 4-36, Israr Hussain 2-24, Farhan Shafiq 2-48) by 110 runs.