Peshawar became the Champion of Quaid-e-Trophy National Cricket Championship (Division-II) after handing a shocking 6-wickets defeat to stars-studded Sui Northern Gas Pipe Line Ltd (SNGPL) on the fourth-day of the five day final played here at Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
With a day to spare, Peshawar Region bowlers and batsmen showed a remarkable performance by handing a convincing 6-wicket defeat to Umar Akmal led SNGPL in the grand final, thanks to left-arm pacer Waqar Ahmad who grabbed six wickets for 92 runs in his 27.4 overs with Test pacer Riaz Afridi took four wickets for 83 runs in his 30 overs by ruining SNGPL batting line all the time.
SNGPL won the toss and choose to bat first by setting up 202 runs all out in their first innings. In reply, Peshawar smashed 351 runs all out to take 149 runs lead over the first innings. Having lead of 149 runs Peshawar restricted SNGPL to 301 all out in 83.4 overs to chase a meager runs target of 153 runs for the loss four wickets and won the match by six wickets. SNGPL bundled out for 301 in 83.4 overs, giving 153 runs target to Peshawar to chase in the second innings.
Peshawar in their second innings lost four wickets for just 43 runs but then both the middle order batsmen skipper Akbar Badshah smashed half-century 54 off 105 balls with eight boundaries and star of the first innings Jamaluddin made not out 58 runs off 99 balls with six boundaries.
The two batsmen added 110 runs for the fifth wickets in 31 overs at the run-rate of 3.54 per over and guided the team to six wickets.