Taha leads PTV’s fightback against SNGPL on day two

KARACHI: Top-order Mohammad Taha scored an unbeaten half-century to lead Pakistan Television’s (PTV) fightback against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) on the second day of the first-round fixture of the President’s Trophy Grade-I here at the Oval Academy on Thursday.

At the stumps on the second day, PTV were 260/4 in response to SNGPL’s 406 all out with Taha set on the crease.

The left-handed batter recovered the PTV from 99/3 as he put together a defiant 145-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Muhammad Shahzad, who scored 70 off 96 deliveries with the help of 13 boundaries including a six.

Taha, unbeaten on 86 from 173 balls, will resume PTV’s first innings on the penultimate day with wicketkeeper batter Taimur Khan (two not out) as they still trail by 146 runs.

Earlier in the day, SNGPL were bowled out for 406 runs after Qasim Akram and Mubasir Khan’s centuries on the opening day.

Amad Butt was the standout bowler for the PTV, taking four wickets for 85 runs, followed by Israr Hussain, who picked three.

In the second first-round match between Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), The OGDCL had accumulated 202/4 in their second innings to acquire a handy 201-run lead.

Leading the way were top-order batters Hasan Raza (51) and Abbas Ali (68), who scored anchoring half-centuries.

At the National Bank Stadium, Tahir Hussain’s four-wicket haul, followed by Azan Awais’s unbeaten 53, powered Eshaal Associates to a 237-run lead over Higher Education Commission (HEC), who were bowled out for 244 earlier in the day in response to Eshaal Associates’ 341 in the first innings.

Meanwhile, in the third match of the first round of the President’s Trophy Grade-I, a combined bowling effort, followed by wicketkeeper batter Muhammad Akhlaq’s half-century put Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) into a 231-run lead against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL).