The stage is set for an enthralling climax to the first-class President’s Trophy 2026-27 season, with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Markhor IT Solutions (MITS) preparing to face off in the final. The high-stakes five-day championship fixture is scheduled to get underway on October 25 at the State Bank of Pakistan ground in Karachi, marking the first time this season that a first-class match in the tournament will be played in the coastal metropolis. Up to this point, all fixtures of the President’s Trophy had been staged across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, making the upcoming title clash a historic occasion for Karachi’s cricket enthusiasts.
The confirmation of the finalists came at the conclusion of a compelling seventh and final round of the round-robin group stage. Both SBP and Markhor IT Solutions had established themselves as the premier sides of the competition, sitting comfortably at the summit of the eight-team points table heading into the final round of matches. Their consistent displays over the course of the grueling domestic calendar have rightfully earned them the right to contest for the prestigious silverware.
For Markhor IT Solutions, reaching the final represents a remarkable milestone in their cricketing journey, particularly given that this is their debut season in the first-class President’s Trophy. MITS secured their promotion to the premier tier back in July, emerging as the winners of the grade-II competition by virtue of a crucial first-innings lead over Kingsmen. Meanwhile, Kingsmen themselves secured promotion to next year’s first-class President’s Trophy following an impressive 82-run victory over Eshaal Associates earlier in the week, earning a spot alongside their sister team, Kingsmen Academy, which finished third in the setup.
The debutants’ path to the final was far from straightforward. They finished the group stage in second place on the points table with 96 points, accumulated through two wins from their seven matches. For the first half of the tournament, MITS appeared to be struggling to find their footing, enduring a winless streak through their opening four fixtures. However, their fortunes underwent a dramatic shift in the fifth round when they secured a resounding 75-run victory over the Oil and Gas Development Corporation Limited (OGDCL). Building on that vital momentum, they went on to draw against table-toppers SBP in the sixth round before capping off their remarkable group stage campaign with a commanding six-wicket triumph over Pakistan TV (PTV).
On the other side of the square, the table-topping State Bank of Pakistan side has enjoyed an equally impressive, albeit more dominant, campaign. SBP finished the group stage as the only undefeated team in the competition. They registered two victories—both coming in the third and fourth rounds against Ghani and OGDCL, respectively—while their remaining five fixtures ended in stalemates. Their consistency and resilience under pressure allowed them to become the only team in the tournament to surpass the 100-point mark, finishing with a formidable total of 107 points to secure the top seed for the final.
While the top of the table showcased stability and dominance, the lower half of the standings witnessed dramatic shifts and high drama during the final round of matches. OGDCL found themselves relegated to the President’s Trophy grade-II gold competition, concluding a difficult campaign that saw them finish at the bottom of the table for the second consecutive season. OGDCL had originally returned to the first-class competition after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) axed WAPDA and Saahir Associates for failing to comply with newly introduced regulations ahead of the 2026-27 domestic season.
OGDCL’s slide to the bottom was cemented following a thrilling encounter in Rawalpindi, where Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) pulled off a dramatic four-wicket victory over Khan Research Laboratories (KRL). SNGPL, traditionally one of the most formidable department-level sides in Pakistan’s rich cricketing history, had entered the final round teetering on the edge of relegation. Their survival and subsequent rise up the table were heavily inspired by the return of their captain, Mohammad Rizwan.
Rizwan had previously been barred from participating in domestic cricket by the PCB due to an ongoing cybercrimes investigation. Upon his return, the seasoned international made an immediate impact, scoring 64 runs in the first innings to help SNGPL post a total of 195 in response to KRL’s first-innings score of 151. Chasing a target of 191 runs for victory, SNGPL successfully overhauled the total thanks to an unbeaten 69-run knock by Abdul Samad, steering the department away from the relegation zone and sealing OGDCL’s fate at the bottom.
The final round also welcomed the return of Imam-ul-Haq, another prominent Pakistani cricketer who had faced temporary suspension from domestic fixtures due to investigations by the cybercrimes agency. Leading OGDCL as captain, Imam marked his return in unforgettable fashion by crafting a magnificent double century, remaining unbeaten on 200. Despite his individual brilliance, OGDCL were denied a victory as centuries from Hussain Talat and Ali Razzaq—the son of legendary Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq—rescued Ghani and ensured the match ended in a hard-fought draw.
With the group stage drama now firmly in the rearview mirror, attention turns entirely to the five-day showdown in Karachi. State Bank of Pakistan enters the contest as the undefeated powerhouse, boasting depth, tactical discipline, and a formidable points tally. Meanwhile, Markhor IT Solutions arrives with the momentum of a fairytale debut season, having demonstrated remarkable resilience to bounce back from a slow start and prove their mettle among the country’s elite first-class outfits.
The conclusion of the President’s Trophy will also serve as a vital stepping stone for Pakistan’s domestic structure before attention shifts to the premier first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Scheduled to begin on November 1, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will feature 20 teams drawn from 16 regions, divided competitively into gold and silver divisions. For now, however, all eyes are locked on the SBP ground in Karachi, where State Bank and Markhor IT Solutions will battle over five days to claim the ultimate prize of the early-season domestic calendar.
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