KARACHI: All four matches of the first round of the President’s Trophy Grade-I tournament ended in draws, with rain washing out the final days of two fixtures.

The match between Kingsmen Academy and MIT Solutions came closest to a result as the former had their three batters dismissed with 45 on the board by stumps as they chased a 150-run target set by the latter — who were following on — at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Mohammad Ismail took all three wickets for MIT Solutions.

Earlier, MIT had evaded defeat by batting for 45.2 overs following a delayed start. They resumed from overnight score of 203-5 and still 32 runs in deficit and with the help of half-centuries from Bismillah Khan (53) and Samama Riaz (67 not out), managed a match-saving second innings lead despite following-on.

Nearly 200 kilometers away in Peshawar, Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) had something to celebrate as their opener Shahzaib Khan scored his fourth first-class century as the side declared at 215-2 against Ghani Glass in their second innings at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium.

Shahzaib scored 103 off 102 to help (KRL) set a 456-run target for Ghani Glass, who, in reply — with bad light intervening at one stage — posted 207-4 before the teams shook hands for a draw.

At Islamabad’s Diamond Cricket Ground, rain spoiled Pakistan Television’s (PTV) chance to get their campaign off the mark with a win as they looked to take the seven remaining wickets of Oil and Gas Development Company, who trailed by 132 runs following on.

The final day of the match between State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi was also washed out.

Following the first round, PTV are on top of the points table with 14 points. KRL and Kingsmen Academy are tied on 13 each, while SBP and SNGPL accrued 12 points each.

OGDCL managed eight points from the first round, while MIT Solutions and Ghani Glass sit at the bottom with seven points each. The second round will start from Friday.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2026