Zahid Mehmood’s sensational spell of 5-18 led the Markhors to a comprehensive 126-run victory over the Stallions in the fourth match of the Champions One-Day Cup on Sunday. Stallions collapsed dramatically for 105 in just 23.4 overs, chasing a modest target of 232 runs at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.
Stallions were in a promising position at 79-2, needing 153 runs from 211 balls with Shan Masood (19 off 21 balls) and Babar Azam (45 off 44 balls, 8x4s) providing some stability. However, a remarkable collapse ensued, with the team losing eight wickets for just 26 runs in the span of 54 balls.
Zahid Mehmood, with his career-best figures, ran through the lower order, claiming five wickets in just 4.4 overs. Salman Ali Agha also contributed with a tidy spell of 3-21, while Naseem Shah (2-24) provided early breakthroughs by dismissing Yasir Khan in the 5th over and clean-bowling Shan Masood in the 10th over.
Babar Azam, who seemed in good touch, was the only batter apart from Shan to reach double figures, but he fell to Zahid in the 16th over, which started the dramatic collapse. The rest of the Stallions’ lineup crumbled, leaving them well short of the target, bowled out for just 105.
Earlier, despite a shaky start, the Markhors managed to post 231 all out in 45 overs. They were reduced to 38-3 in the first 9 overs, with Fakhar Zaman (20), Mohammad Faizan (2), and Kamran Ghulam (11) all falling cheaply. Jahandad Khan’s 4-49 and Mehran Mumtaz’s 3-56 kept the Stallions in control early on.
However, the Markhors’ middle-order fought back. Half-centuries from Salman Ali Agha (51 off 72 balls, 3x4s, 1×6) and Iftikhar Ahmed (60 off 66 balls, 8x4s) revived the innings. The duo shared a crucial 65-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Abdul Samad also made a valuable contribution with 37 off 35 balls, including five boundaries and a six. His 62-run partnership with Iftikhar helped Markhors cross the 200-run mark. However, after Samad’s dismissal at 221, the team lost their last five wickets for just 10 runs, eventually being bowled out for 231 in 45 overs.
Scores in Brief:
Markhors: 231 all out in 45 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 60, Salman Ali Agha 51, Abdul Samad 37, Mohammad Rizwan 33; Jahandad Khan 4-49, Mehran Mumtaz 3-56)
Stallions: 105 all out in 23.4 overs (Babar Azam 45, Shan Masood 19; Zahid Mehmood 5-18, Salman Ali Agha 3-21, Naseem Shah 2-24)
Result: Markhors won by 126 runs.
Player of the Match: Zahid Mehmood (Markhors)
Next Match: Markhors vs Dolphins on 18 September 2024. Tomorrow’s fixture: Lions vs Panthers at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, 9.30am (local time).
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