LAHORE: Pacers Aqib Khan and Naqeebullah shared all 10 wickets to power Wapda to a dramatic 35-run victory over Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) in the President’s Trophy final at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
The triumph marked Wapda’s maiden title in the tournament.
Resuming the fourth day at 181-4 and needing 64 more runs for victory, SNGPL appeared firmly in control of the chase with Omair Bin Yousuf unbeaten on 60 and the aggressive Mubasir Khan on 21 off 14 balls, having struck four boundaries.
However, the complexion of the match changed swiftly as Aqib and Naqeebullah produced a devastating spell of fast bowling to dismantle the middle and lower order.
Aqib claimed his fifth first-class five-wicket haul, returning figures of 5-56 in 14 overs, while Naqeebullah grabbed his third first-class fifer with 5-59 in 20.1 overs. The duo bowled with discipline and purpose to bundle SNGPL out for 209.
From a position of strength, SNGPL lost their remaining six wickets for just 28 runs, surrendering the initiative as Wapda sealed a memorable comeback victory.
For his decisive role in the turnaround, Naqeebullah was named player of the final.
Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2026