SNGPL win title on first innings lead

A first-innings lead of 301 helped Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited take the Quaid-e-Azam Gold League title after a drawn final match against National Bank of Pakistan.

SNGPL batted through most of the second and third days to post 543 in their first innings, building on 224 from Mohammad Rizwan and a 120 from Khurram Shehzad. Their bowlers, led by Manzoor Khan's 5 for 43, had dismissed National Bank for 242. The pair also shared a 251-run stand for the fifth wicket, coming together at 165 for 4 before Shehzad was dismissed with the score at 416. Fawad Alam was the most successful bowler for NBP, taking 3 for 33 in 12 overs.

National Bank fought back in their second innings, as centuries from Kamran Akmal, Raza Hasan and opener Sami Aslam helped them wipe out the deficit and score 508. The side were struggling at 71 for 3 before a 221-run stand between Akmal and Aslam lifted them to 291. Yasir Shah broke the stand, dismissing Akmal for 137 and the SNGPL bowlers made quick inroads, reducing National Bank from 291 for 3 to 309 for 7. The lower order, however, rallied around Raza Hasan, who stitched important stands with Wahab Riaz and Zia-ul-Haq to lift the total to 508 and eat away SNGPL's chances of an outright win. Raza's maiden first-class hundred - 123 off 209 balls - had 14 fours and four sixes. SNGPL fast bowler Imran Ali, who was wicketless in the first innings, took 5 for 85.

Set a target of 208, the SNGPL openers faced just 10 overs before the game ended and reached a score of 28.