KARACHI: The second day of the fifth round of the President’s Trophy was badly affected by rain as play was called off early at the SBP Sports Complex, KCCA Stadium and UBL Sports Complex, while action was only possible for the final hour at the National Bank Stadium on Thursday.

At the National Bank Stadium, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) added 144 runs to their overnight 308-4 before being bowled out for 452 in 122.3 overs, with only 45.3 overs possible in the day.

Test pacer Mir Hamza continued his fine form by claiming his 33rd first-class five-wicket haul — and his third in the last three matches — returning figures of 5-67 in 27.3 overs.

Resuming on 110, Mubasir Khan fell for 129 off 206 balls, hitting 14 fours, bringing an end to a superb fifth-wicket stand of 249 with Mohammad Awais Zafar. Awais narrowly missed his eighth first-class century, falling for 98 off 177 balls, which included 11 fours and two sixes.

Saifullah Bangash (47 off 81 balls, seven fours) and Sajid Khan (30 off 36 balls, four fours) provided useful late-order support. For Ghani Glass, Khurram Shahzad, Noman Ali, Ali Shabbir and Ali Razzaq picked up one wicket each alongside Hamza’s five-for.

In reply, Ghani Glass reached 37-2 in nine overs, with Shehzad Gul removing both openers.

At the UBL Sports Complex, only 41.2 overs were bowled as Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) reached 88-4 in 26.1 overs in response to Pakistan Television’s 414 all out in 102.1 overs. Ali Usman and Amad Butt took two wickets apiece for PTV.

Imran Rafiq (30 not out off 44 balls, six fours) and Sarmad Bhatti (12 not out off 25 balls, two fours) were at the crease after KRL lost four wickets for 52 runs.

Earlier, Mohammad Taha completed his third first-class century, scoring 119 off 209 balls with 13 fours and two sixes, after resuming on 82 not out. Number 10 Musa Khan added 23 of the 66 runs PTV managed on the second morning.

KRL pacer Arshad Iqbal claimed his third first-class five-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5-100, supported by Mohammad Hamza (3-106) and Aqib Liaqat (2-73).

At the SBP Sports Complex, only 35 overs were possible between Sahir Associates and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) before rain intervened. SBP were 73-1 in at stumps, still trailing by 167 runs, with Abdullah Fazal (36 not out off 91 balls, five fours) and Mohammad Huraira (14, three fours) batting. Skipper Hasan Raza was dismissed for 16.

Earlier, Sahir Associates were dismissed for 240 in 89 overs, having lost their last three wickets for 11 runs after resuming on 229-7.

Meanwhile, at the KCCA Stadium, Wapda moved 44 runs ahead of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) after extending their overnight 56-2 to 203-7 in 71.2 overs before rain forced an early close.

Mohammad Ammar anchored the innings with a resolute 74 off 142 balls, including 10 fours. However, OGDCL struck at regular intervals as Sharoon Siraj (31), Ayaz Tasawar (24) and Khalid Usman (24) failed to convert their starts.

Spinners Asif Afridi and Jawad Ali took three wickets each, while Mohammad Amir Khan claimed one.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2026