Rain disrupts President’s Trophy as PTV strike early

Three matches get underway after delays while KRL-SBP fixture first day's play washes out

Rain and wet outfields disrupted the opening day of the fifth round of the President’s Trophy Grade-I on Tuesday, with three of the four fixtures getting underway after delayed starts and no play possible in Peshawar.

At the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, PTV made the most of the limited playing time, reducing Ghani to 67 for seven in 21.5 overs before bad light and conditions brought the day to a close.

Hashim Ibrahim top-scored for Ghani with 34, but PTV’s bowlers kept the pressure on throughout the innings. Test fast bowler Kashif Ali claimed three wickets for 30 runs, while Israr Hussain returned two for five and Test cricketer Haris Rauf took two for 28.

At the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi, MIT Solutions reached 186 for eight in 54 overs after choosing to bat against Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL).

Hasnain Nadeem provided the backbone of the MIT Solutions innings, remaining unbeaten on 87 from 158 balls in a patient 272-minute stay at the crease. His innings included 12 fours and a six.

Nadeem and Mohammad Farooq gave MIT Solutions a solid start, adding 75 for the opening wicket. Farooq scored 56 before OGDCL fought back through Aftab Ahmad, who finished the day with five wickets for 39 runs. Mohammad Salman claimed two for 20.

The match between Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Kingsmen Academy at the Diamond Cricket Ground in Islamabad also got only a brief start. Kingsmen reached 31 for one in seven overs, with Test batter Mohammad Huraira unbeaten on 15 at the close.

There was no play in Peshawar, where the fifth-round fixture between Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) at the Imran Khan Stadium was abandoned for the day because of rain.

With weather once again dictating the schedule, the teams will hope for improved conditions on the second day to make up for the lost time and complete a full day’s play.