Pakistan’s First-Class Tournament Enters Fourth Round After Major Third-Round Performances
The President’s Trophy Grade-I 2026-27 will enter its fourth round on September 30, following the conclusion of an eventful third round that produced several major individual performances and important results. The fourth round will run from September 30 and continue through October 3.
The third round saw State Bank of Pakistan move to the top of the table after recording an innings-and-18-run victory over Ghani. SBP’s success was built around an extraordinary opening partnership between Abdullah Fazal and Hasan Raza, with Fazal scoring an unbeaten 309 and Raza making 222. The pair put together 417 runs for the opening wicket.
Kingsmen Academy also registered a convincing victory in the third round, defeating Pakistan Television by 10 wickets. Mohammad Ilyas was the standout performer with an 11-wicket match haul, while Saud Shakeel scored his 24th first-class century during Kingsmen’s first innings. The result gave Kingsmen a significant boost heading into the next round.
The third round also saw the long-awaited return of Babar Azam to domestic first-class cricket. Babar represented OGDCL against KRL in Abbottabad, but his comeback produced scores of only 12 and four. KRL enforced the follow-on after taking a substantial first-innings advantage, with OGDCL ultimately unable to secure victory in the contest.
Several other Pakistan internationals have also been involved with departmental sides during the competition. Players such as Razaullah, Naseem Shah, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Aamir Jamal and Abdullah Fazal have strengthened different teams, while further additions are expected as the tournament progresses.
The fourth round will provide another important opportunity for both established players and emerging cricketers to build red-ball form. With the competition featuring several players connected to Pakistan’s international setup, the upcoming matches will also provide valuable first-class cricket ahead of future national assignments.
The tournament has already produced several high-scoring innings and impressive bowling performances, and the fourth round is expected to continue that trend. Matches will be played across four venues in three cities, with teams looking to strengthen their positions in the President’s Trophy table as the competition moves deeper into its 2026-27 season.
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