Irfan Khan Niazi’s (56-ball 100) blazing maiden ton and Khushdil Shah’s (74 off 45) fireworks stormed the Lions to a 35-run victory in a high-scoring eighth match of the inaugural Champions One-Day Cup at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Friday.
MARKHORS' INNINGS
Chasing a target of staggering 368-run target, the Markhors were restricted to 332-9 in their 50 overs, with Fakhar Zaman showed a great intent with the bat at the start and racked up 72-ball 82, lacing with eight boundaries and four towering six. But Zaman was removed by Khushdil.
Zaman’s wicket started the slide and it went quickly downward thereafter. But Salman Agha (69 off 39) and Abdul Samad (42 off 37) showed resistance, but it was not good enough to sweep the Markhors past the Lions.
Iftikhar Ahmed (25), Mohammad Rizwan (20), Bismillah Khan (20) could not capitalized from the start they got.
La,ran Ghulam (8), Mohammad Imran (19), Mohammad Imran (7), Zahid Mahmood (8) failed to show resistance with the willow.
Shahnawaz Dahani remained unbeaten on 6-ball 3.
For the Lions, Aamer Yamin (2-54), Ahmed Daniyal (2-66), Khushdil Shah (2-67) and skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-86) took two wickets apiece, though the latter remained expensive.
Mohammad Asghar (0-37) was economical with the bowl, but remained wicketless, giving away just 37 runs in his 10 overs.
Mohammad Taha (0-18) was also unable to give his side any breakthrough.
LIONS' INNINGS
After opting to bat first, the Lions were off to a great start as the openers, Abdullah Shafique (52) and Imamul Haq (51) notched up fifty each.
But it was the youngster, Irfan Khan’s day, who raised his bat to the gallery, smoking his first-ever century in List A. Not only, he scored century but remained unconquered and consumed merely 56 deliveries to reach triple digit. In his terrific century, Irfan clubbed 10 boundaries and five towering sixes.
Khushdil Shah will also be pleased to ably support Irfan and compile 45-ball 73-run innings, studded with 10 boundaries and five sixes.
Omair Yousuf (30 off 33) and Mohammad Taha (31 off 37) scored crucial runs to add impetus to the Lions’ innings.
Aamer Yamin (6) could not improvised with the bat in the death overs.
Sajjad Ali remained unbeaten on 4-ball 6.
For the Markhors, Mohammad Imran (1-85), Mohammad Imran Randhawa (1-76) and Iftikhar Ahmed (1-64) took a scalp each.
Zahid Mahmood (2-49) had picked up two wickets.
Kamran Ghulam (0-15) and Salman Agha (0-16) remained wicketless.
