MIT Solutions Win Presidents Trophy Title by 51 Runs
Markhor IT (MIT) Solutions clinched the President’s Trophy Grade-I title after defeating State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) by 51 runs on the final day of the final at Bagh-e-Jinnah in Lahore on Friday. The MIT Solutions Presidents Trophy champions win completed a remarkable first season in the top flight for a side that earned promotion from Grade-II earlier this year.
Chasing a target of 237, SBP resumed their second innings at 165 for seven but could add only 20 runs before being bowled out for 185 in the first session, handing MIT Solutions a 51-run victory.
Presidents Trophy champions: the final morning
Mohammad Abbas was the first batter to depart on the final morning after scoring six off 30 deliveries, including one boundary. Mohammad Ismaeel then dismissed the well-set Mubashir Khan, who made 32 off 56 balls, striking three fours.
Captain Khalid Usman completed the victory by dismissing Kashif Bhatti for two, finishing with figures of four for 38 in 16.5 overs. Ismaeel claimed two wickets, while Aamer Jamal and Salman Aslam picked up one apiece.
SBP had made a steady start to the chase. Openers Hasan Raza and Abdullah Fazal put together 49 runs before Salman Aslam broke the partnership in the 20th over, dismissing Fazal for 25 off 68 deliveries. Hasan subsequently shared useful partnerships with Faham-ul-Haq and Kamran Ghulam, who contributed 13 and 16 respectively.
Ghulam’s dismissal by Jamal in the 41st over triggered a collapse as SBP lost five wickets in quick succession, including that of Hasan, to slump to 147 for seven. Hasan remained SBP’s leading run-scorer with a fighting 73 off 136 balls, hitting eight boundaries. Mubashir then attempted to revive the chase, building an unbeaten 17-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Abbas before the close of play on the third day. The resistance ended on the final morning.
Jamal’s all-round final
MIT Solutions were bowled out for 296 in their second innings in 74.5 overs. Jamal top-scored with a determined 55 off 81 deliveries, including seven boundaries. The all-rounder had also starred with the ball in the first innings, claiming a seven-wicket haul.
For SBP, Test pacer Mohammad Abbas was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of five for 70 in 18 overs. Sirajuddin claimed three wickets, while Shahid Aziz and Kashif Bhatti took one each.
The first innings had set up the final. MIT Solutions were bowled out for 112, with Sirajuddin taking six for 39, before Jamal’s seven for 32 bowled SBP out for 172 and gave MIT a 60-run first-innings deficit to overturn. They did so in the second innings, and then defended 237 with a disciplined final-morning display.
A debut top-flight season ends with the title
The result capped a season in which MIT Solutions finished second in the eight-team standings with 96 points, behind SBP, who topped the table with 107 points and remained unbeaten through the league stage. SBP had lost the 2024-25 edition final to Pakistan Television, and this defeat extends their wait for a first major first-class title.
The final itself moved twice before a ball was bowled, from the SBP Sports Complex in Karachi to Lahore, where it was played at Bagh-e-Jinnah starting October 27 and decided on the fourth day. Feature Pakistan reported on the opening day of the final, when 18 wickets fell on a dramatic first day.
For MIT Solutions, the trophy is the reward for a campaign built on Jamal’s bowling and a second-innings fightback. For SBP, the final morning will sting: 72 runs needed with three wickets in hand became 20 runs added and three wickets lost, and a season without defeat in the league stage ended without the title.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the President’s Trophy Grade-I final?
MIT Solutions beat State Bank of Pakistan by 51 runs at Bagh-e-Jinnah in Lahore.
What was the final score?
MIT Solutions scored 112 and 296. SBP scored 172 and 185, chasing a target of 237.
Who starred for MIT Solutions?
Aamer Jamal scored 55 and took seven wickets in SBP’s first innings, while captain Khalid Usman took four for 38 in the second innings.
Where was the final played?
At Bagh-e-Jinnah in Lahore, starting October 27, with the result sealed on the fourth day (October 30).
