RAWALPINDI – ABL Stallions had the better of Engro Dolphins to come back to winning ways, taking the match by just five runs while Lake City Panthers crushed UMT Markhors by six wickets in the double header in Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup at the Rawalpindi Stadium on Friday.
With the victory Stallions are now top of the five-team table with three wins in four matches, accumulating six points. Markhors suffered their first loss but were still second with six points in four matches.
Young Ubaid Shah, sibling of Test fast bowler Naseem Shah, held his nerves to defend 14 off the final over and despite being hit for a six by Salman Irshad came out with flying colours, conceding eight runs to give Stallions victory.
Dolphins managed to score 185-9 in 20 overs.
Chasing a big 191 for victory, Dolphins were treated well on tough waters as Sahibzada Farhan, who scored a brisk 59 off 38 balls with six boundaries and two sixes held the innings. Young Qasim Akram was good in support with a rapid 24-ball 37, spiced with two sixes and four boundaries. Together they added 46 off 27 balls.
When skipper Faheem Ashraf came to the crease, Dolphins needed 51 runs in 4.1 overs. Left-hand batter Faheem cracked two sixes and a four in his 12-ball 25 but in the end his runs were not enough.
For Stallions, spinners Usman Tariq (2-22) and Mehran Mumtaz (2-32) checked the run chase, while pacer Mohammad Ali finished with 2-34.
The most notable point of the match was the return of promising fast bowler Ihsanullah after being sidelined with elbow injury.
Earlier, all-rounder Hussain Talat kept his good form intact, scoring 57 not out off just 34 balls.
His knock included two sixes and five boundaries. Hussain added a good 109 runs off just 56 balls with Mohammad Mohsin. Mohsin’s eye-catching knock of 55 came off 32 balls which contained four boundaries and as many sixes. The duo smashed a big 65 runs in the last five overs. Leg-spinner Mohammad Ramiz Jnr was the pick of bowlers with 2-29.
In the second match, Haider Ali smashed a 29-ball 62 to help Panthers chase a 164-run target in 18.5 overs. Haider smashed five sixes and four boundaries in an eye-catching knock. Umar Siddiq (30) and Sharjeel Khan (23) laid the foundation with an opening stand of 52. Haider and Mubasir Khan furthered the chase with a third wicket stand of 65. Haider hit the winning six to seal the match.
The Markhors’ total of 163 for eight saw young local boy Saad Masood play an anchor’s role with a 39-ball 63 not out. His innings was laced with two sixes and six boundaries. Saad lifted his team from a precarious 7-70 as he kept the scoreboard ticking, adding 35 for the eighth wicket with Nisar Ahmed (21) and another invaluable 58 for the ninth wicket with Akif Javed who made only six.
Nisar cracked two sixes in his ten-ball 21.
Pakistan vs South Africa: Complete schedule of T20Is, ODIs, Tests
