Sarfraz Ahmed routs Sialkot for 139

Sixteen wickets fell on an eventful opening day between Sialkot and Water and Power Development Authority at the Jinnah Stadium. Sialkot chose to bat after winning the toss but were wrecked by Sarfraz Ahmed, who claimed 5 for 36, and dismissed for 139 in 48.2 overs. Ahmed was supported by Azhar Attari and Imran Khan, who took 2 for 48 and 3 for 43 respectively. Opener Jawad Ahmed top scored for Sialkot with 38. WAPDA's batsmen fared no better during their first innings, and ended the day on 101 for 6, battling for a first-innings lead. The wickets were shared by Sialkot's bowlers, with Mohammad Abbas being the most successful with 2 for 39. WAPDA's captain Ahmed Sajjad had top scored with 25.

An unbeaten, brisk half-century from Ikramullah Khan helped Abbottabad recover from 134 for 6 to reach 278 for 9 against State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium. SBP's bowlers struck frequently after they sent Abbottabad in, preventing all the top-order batsmen from coverting starts into substantial innings. Saad Altaf, Mohammad Naved and Rizan Haider took two wickets each. Abbottabad were 192 for 9 at one stage before Ikramullah, who scored 70 off 81 balls, joined forces with Mohammad Naeem, who was unbeaten on 23 at stumps.

Aqeel Anjum remained not out on 119 to lead National Bank of Pakistan to a commanding position against Faisalabad at the Iqbal Stadium. Anjum added 133 for the second wicket with opener Khurram Manzoor, who scored 69. He then put on an unbeaten 64-run partnership with Fawad Alam, who was unbeaten on 29, as NBP reached 271 for 3 at stumps.

Habib Bank Limited's (HBL) top order produced a strong performance to end the first day in a comfortable position against Islamabad at the Diamond Cricket Ground. Khaqan Asral scored an unbeaten 119 at No. 4, while opener Ahmed Shehzad made 80 off 97 balls. Hasan Raza also contributed 52 before he retired hurt with the score on 242 for 3. Asral led HBL to 341 for 4 at stumps. Zohaib Ahmed took 3 for 54 for Islamabad.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) finished the first day against Karachi Blues on 285 for 5 at the National Stadium. Their openers Agha Sabir and Kamran Sajid scored 48 and 41 and put on 88 for the first wicket but both fell in quick succession. It was left to Sheharyar Ghani to hold the innings together and he did so with an unbeaten 106. PIA lost three wickets quickly to slump to 159 for 5 but Ghani had an unbroken stand of 126 for the sixth wicket with Sarfraz Ahmed, who was also not out on 62. Mohammad Sami was the best bowler for Karachi Blues, taking 2 for 37.

A four-wicket haul from Iftikhar Anjum helped Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) reduce Rawalpindi to 297 for 8 on the first day at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Rawalpindi had a promising start, with the openers adding 98 for the first wicket. Shoaib Nasir made 54 while Naved Malik scored 72. ZTBL began to strike regularly after that, and apart from Usman Saeed, who held up one end with 94, no one else made a sizeable contribution. Saeed missed his century when he was stumped by Zulqarnain Haider, who claimed five dismissals, off Zohaib Khan.