Sirajuddin's six-wicket haul gives SBP early lead in final, but Jamal's 6/14 is the day's bigger question

LAHORE: State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) took a 24-run first-innings lead on Day 1 of the PCB President's Trophy Grade-I final against Markhor IT Solutions (MIT) at Bagh-e-Jinnah, Lahore, after bowling MIT out for 112 and reaching 136/8 at stumps. Sirajuddin took six wickets and Shahid Aziz four as MIT were dismissed in 29.5 overs. SBP's reply was built on small contributions, with their top score only 36, while Aamir Jamal produced the day's most striking spell: 6/14 in 10 overs at an economy of 1.40 and a strike rate of 10.0 balls per wicket. The first day belonged firmly to the bowlers. In 65.5 overs, 18 wickets fell for 248 runs. MIT batted at about 3.75 runs per over and SBP at about 3.78, but neither side could build a long partnership. Sirajuddin and Shahid Aziz shared all ten MIT wickets, bowling 16.5 overs between them for 78 runs; the remaining 13 overs conceded only 34. For SBP, Jamal was the destroyer, with Ismail and Salman Aslam taking one wicket each. Rameez Aziz was unbeaten on 14 and Sirajuddin on 8 at the close. MIT captain Khalid Usman chose to bat after winning the toss. The decision was defensible on a fresh pitch, but it backfired as SBP's new-ball pair broke the top order early. The evidence points to seam movement and uneven bounce, though no pitch report or groundstaff quote is available. The source also does not state weather, dew, light or overhead conditions. Only 65.5 overs were bowled, leaving about 24 overs unaccounted for; rain, bad light or a slow over-rate are possible, but the source is silent. A key factual clarification is needed. Aamir Jamal was playing for MIT, not SBP. The phrase that he took six wickets in SBP's first innings means he took them during the innings in which SBP batted. Wicket arithmetic confirms this: MIT's ten wickets were Sirajuddin 6 plus Shahid Aziz 4, while SBP's eight wickets were Jamal 6 plus Ismail 1 and Salman Aslam 1. The headline credits Sirajuddin, but by objective measures Jamal's 6/14 was the day's outstanding performance, especially against a table-topping SBP batting line-up. SBP's 24-run lead is not commanding. With two wickets standing, a realistic projection is a lead of roughly 50 to 70 if the last pair adds 30 to 40. If Jamal strikes again early on Day 2, MIT could restrict SBP and regain control. If SBP bat through the first session and extend the lead past 80, the pressure will shift back to MIT. The report is undated, carries no byline and names no source, so time-sensitive details and the 2026-27 season label cannot be independently verified. The match is a domestic first-class final, not an international Test, and must be read in that context. Overall, Day 1 was a bowler-dominated day in which SBP gained the early advantage but MIT, through Jamal, kept the final alive. The first session of Day 2 will be decisive.