Zahid takes five as Markhors rout Stallions

FAISALABAD: Zahid Mahmood took a five-wicket haul to help Markhors beat Stallions by 126 runs in their Champions One-day Cup match here at the Iqbal Stadium on Sunday.
The leg-spinner registered figures of 5-18 as a remarkable batting collapse saw the Stallions lose eight wickets for just 26 runs in a space of 54 balls in their pursuit of 232 runs.
As spin ruled the roost at the venue, Salman Ali Agha, too, flourished with his orthodox off-spin, taking three Stallions’ wickets while giving away just 21 runs.
Stallions were cruising at 79-2 requiring 153 runs from 211 balls before they lost their way as Zahid took just 4.4 overs to register his maiden List-A five-wicket haul.
Pacer Naseem Shah took first two wickets as Yasir Khan was caught behind in the fifth over while Shan Masood (19 off 21) chopped one on in 10th over to leave Stallions 52-2.
Babar Azam, the only Stallions batter other than Shan to enter double figures, looked in good touch for 45 off 44 balls accumulating eight boundaries but became Zahid’s first prey in 16th over.
Earlier, fast bowler Jahandad Khan’s career best List-A figures of 4-49 and Mehran Mumtaz’s 3-56 restricted the Markhors to 231 with 30 balls to spare.
Markhors were reduced to 38-3 in in 8.2 overs before half-centuries from Salman (51 off 72) and Iftikhar Ahmed (60 off 66) brought the momentum back to the team.
After Salman’s departure, Abdul Samad (37 off 35, five fours and a six) and Iftikhar’s stand of 62 for the sixth-wicket took Markhors past the 200-run mark.
On Saturday, Usman Khan’s century and Mohammad Hasnain’s five-wicket haul saw Panthers beat Dolphins by 50 runs. After Usman’s 111 off 110 (11 fours and three sixes) helped Panthers post 328, Hasnain’s 5-74 ensured Dolphins were bundled out for 278 as half-centuries by Qasim Akram and Sahibzada Farhan went in vain.
Scores in brief:
Markhors beat Stallions by 126 runs
MARKHORS 231 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 in 23.4 overs (Babar Azam 45, Shan Masood 19; Zahid Mehmood 5-18, Salman Ali Agha 3-21, Naseem Shah 2-24)
Panthers beat Dolphins by 50 runs
PANTHERS 328 in 49.4 overs (Usman Khan 111, Shadab Khan 65, Haider Ali 63, Umar Siddiq 30; Usman Qadir 3-63, Mir Hamza 2-50, Mohammad Abbas Afridi 2-68); DOLPHINS 278 in 47 overs (Qasim Akram 65, Sahibzada Farhan 52, Faheem Ashraf 41, Mohammad Huraira 39, Saud Shakeel 24; Mohammad Hasnain 5-74, Usama Mir 2-48, Mubasir Khan 2-58).
Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2024