Saim Ayub’s (5-24 and 36-ball 33) all-round prowess and Usman Khan’s unconquered 26-ball 54 and Saim Ayub thumped the Markhors by lopsided seven-wicket victory in the Qualifier, powering the Shadab Khan-inspired side to the final of the inaugural Champions One-Day Cup at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Tuesday.
PANTHERS’ INNINGS
Chasing a low-scoring 138-run total, the Panthers looked belligerent and completed the run-chase inside the 24th over to ensure that the Mohammad Rizwan-led Markhors had a tough outing out there in “The Manchester of Pakistan.”.
After facing an early hiccup, during the chase of the equation, when Azan Awais (13) departed, Saim Ayub stitched a solid 50-run partnership with Umar Siddiq to add impetus to the Panthers’ innings.
Saim had a great outing after a while in any competitive game. He bagged five-for first and after that had a decent start, compiling 33 and clobbered six boundaries before he was trapped lbw by leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood.
But it was the blistering, unbeaten half-century from Usman Khan’s willow that provided the people of Faisalabad with great entertainment. Usman produced a gem of innings, laced with five boundaries and four towering sixes.
Rizwan Mehmood scored an unbeaten 8-ball.
There was nothing special about the Markhors’ innings. Akif Javed (1-20), Salman Agha (1-28) and Zahid Mahmood (1-34) took a scalp each.
Naseem Shah (0-24), Iftikhar Ahmed (0-6), Shahnawaz Dahani (0-16) and Kamran Ghulam (0-14) remained wicketless.
MARKHORS’ INNINGS
After opting to bat first, the horrendous start as the wicket of Haseebullah Khan (1-9) started the slide, and it went downhill quickly thereafter.
With the exception of Salman Agha (52) and Iftikhar Ahmed (39), none of the Markhors’ batters had managed to score runs.
Others batters, Haseebullah (3), Fakhar Zaman (11), Kamran Ghulam (1), Mohammad Rizwan (0), Abdul Samad (2), Naseem Shah (14), Zahid Mahmood (5), failed to show any significant resistance with the willow.
Akif Javed remained wicketless on 3-ball 0.
For the Panthers, Saim Ayub (5-24) spearheaded the five-wicket haul. Mohammad Hasnain (3-25) took three wickets. Ali Raza (1-29) took a scalp.
The Stallions and Lions will lock horns in Eliminator 1 of the domestic white-ball tomorrow at the same venue.
PLAYER OF MATCH AWARD
Mohammad Hasnain was awarded the player of the match award for bagging three wickets.
TOSS
The Markhors opted to bat first in the Qualifier of the domestic one-day tournament.
