Lions edged out Stallions by 12 runs in a thrilling contest to seal their spot in the second Eliminator of the Champions One-Day Cup. Ahmed Daniyal was the star of the show, delivering a match-winning all-round performance with an unbeaten 65-run innings and three wickets. The Lions defended their 264-run target successfully, bowling out Stallions for 251 in 49.3 overs.
After opting to bat first at Iqbal Stadium, the Lions were reduced to 43-3 early on, with debutant Ubaid Shah causing havoc by picking up three wickets in the powerplay. Mohammad Taha (47) and Sharoon Siraj (38) then combined for a 77-run fourth-wicket partnership to steady the innings, but the Lions suffered another collapse, slipping to 140-7.
Ahmed Daniyal and Aamer Yamin came to the rescue, putting together a crucial 81-run partnership for the eighth wicket. Daniyal smashed 65 not out off 48 balls, including five sixes and two boundaries, while Yamin contributed 46 off 57 balls, propelling the Lions to a competitive total of 263-9 in 50 overs. Ubaid Shah finished with figures of 3-46, while Adil Amin and Maaz Sadaqat picked up two wickets each.
Stallions’ chase was marred by regular wickets, with none of their batters managing to cross the 40-run mark. Yasir Khan top-scored with 39, but the middle order failed to build meaningful partnerships. At 139-5 and later 187-6, the Stallions were struggling. Mohammad Haris (30) and Jahandad Khan (36) put together a 39-run stand for the seventh wicket, but Haris’ dismissal in the 46th over, when Stallions needed 38 runs off 25 balls, signaled the end of their hopes. They were eventually bowled out for 251 in 49.3 overs, falling 12 runs short.
Khushdil Shah (3-40) and Ahmed Daniyal (3-59) shared six wickets between them, while Faisal Akram, Sharoon Siraj, and Sirajuddin took one wicket each.
The Nurpur Lions will now face UMT Markhors in the second Eliminator on Friday, 27 September, at Iqbal Stadium. The winner of this clash will advance to the final, where they will take on Lake City Panthers on 29 September.
Scores in brief:
Eliminator 1 – Lions beat Stallions by 12 runs
Lions: 263-9 in 50 overs (Ahmed Daniyal 65* not out, Mohammad Taha 47, Aamer Yamin 46, Sharoon Siraj 38; Ubaid Shah 3-46, Adil Amin 2-35, Maaz Sadaqat 2-50)
Stallions: 251 all-out in 49.3 overs (Yasir Khan 39, Jahandad Khan 36, Hussain Talat 32, Mohammad Mohsin 30, Mohammad Haris 30, Tayyab Tahir 28; Khushdil Shah 3-40, Ahmed Daniyal 3-59, Sharoon Siraj 1-21)
Player of the match: Ahmed Daniyal (Lions)
Next fixture (Eliminator 2 – 27 September): Markhors vs Lions, Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad at 3 PM (local time).
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