Markhor IT Clinch President's Trophy Grade-I with 51-Run Win over SBP

LAHORE: Markhor IT (MIT Solutions) won the President’s Trophy Grade-I title by defeating State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) by 51 runs on the final day of the final at Bagh-e-Jinnah on Friday, as Khalid Usman’s four-wicket haul closed out the contest. Chasing 237, SBP resumed the fourth day at 165/7 and needed 72 more runs with three wickets in hand. The first session, however, belonged to MIT’s bowlers, who removed the remaining batters for just 20 runs. Mohammad Abbas was the first to fall, scoring six off 30 deliveries with one boundary. Mohammad Ismaeel then dismissed Mubashir Khan, who had looked set on 32 off 56 balls with three fours. Khalid Usman finished the innings by dismissing Kashif Bhatti for two, ending with 4/38 in 16.5 overs. Ismaeel picked up two wickets, while Aamer Jamal and Salman Aslam took one each. Earlier, MIT resumed their second innings on day three at 273/7 with Jamal and Salman at the crease. They added only 23 before being bowled out for 296 in 74.5 overs. Jamal top-scored with 55 off 81 balls, hitting seven fours. The all-rounder had also taken seven wickets in the first innings, making his performance crucial in both departments. For SBP, Mohammad Abbas was the most successful bowler with 5/70 in 18 overs. Sirajuddin claimed three wickets, while Shahid Aziz and Kashif Bhatti took one each. In the chase, SBP began steadily as Hasan Raza and Abdullah Fazal put on 49 for the first wicket. Salman Aslam broke the partnership in the 20th over by dismissing Fazal for 25 off 68 balls. Hasan then shared useful stands with Faham-ul-Haq (13) and Kamran Ghulam (16), but neither partner could convert his start into a bigger score. Ghulam’s dismissal by Jamal in the 41st over triggered a collapse; SBP lost five wickets in quick succession, including Hasan’s, and slumped to 147/7. Hasan top-scored for SBP with a fighting 73 off 136 balls, including eight fours. His dismissal left the lower order with too much to do. Mubashir Khan and Abbas added 17 unbeaten runs for the eighth wicket before stumps on day three, raising hopes of a longer resistance, but MIT’s bowlers ended those hopes on the final morning. Khalid Usman’s spell was the defining performance of the final day. His 16.5 overs yielded four wickets for 38 runs, and he removed Bhatti to complete the win. Ismaeel’s two wickets, along with the contributions of Jamal and Salman, ensured that SBP never settled. For SBP, Abbas’s five-wicket haul had kept them in the game, but the batting unit could not build enough partnerships. Hasan’s 73 and Mubashir’s 32 were the only substantial contributions, and the chase fell 51 runs short. MIT’s title run was built on a strong all-round effort. Jamal’s seven-wicket haul in the first innings and his 55 in the second gave the team control, while Khalid Usman’s four-wicket haul on the last day sealed the result. The victory at Bagh-e-Jinnah gave Markhor IT the President’s Trophy Grade-I crown, while SBP had to settle for a runners-up finish after a promising start to the chase.