Markhors Triumph as Stallions Fall for 105 at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
The Markhors secured a decisive victory in the Champions Cup at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, thanks to a stellar all-round performance by Salman Ali Agha and exceptional bowling from Zahid Mehmood. This win marks their second success in the tournament.
Zahid’s brilliant bowling (5/18) and Salman’s support (3/21) led to the Stallions’ collapse, as they were all out for just 105 runs while chasing a target of 232. Babar Azam was the only batter who showed some resistance, scoring 45 off 44 balls. Shan Masood contributed 19 runs, but no other Stallions player managed to score in double figures. The Stallions were bowled out in just 24 overs, falling 126 runs short of the Markhors’ total.
Markhors Set a Challenging Target
Earlier, Salman and Iftikhar Ahmed both hit half-centuries, helping the Markhors post a competitive total of 231. Iftikhar top-scored with 60 off 66 balls, while Salman added 51 off 72. Abdul Samad chipped in with a handy 37 runs to bolster the total. Despite not batting through the full 50 overs, the Markhors managed to set a challenging target as they were bowled out in 45 overs.
Jahandad Khan was the standout bowler for the Stallions, taking 4 wickets for 44 runs, while Mehran Mumtaz claimed 3 for 56.
Stallions Struggle to Chase
In response, the Stallions struggled to find stability. Mohammad Faizan was dismissed early, managing just 2 runs before being caught behind by Mohammad Haris off Mohammad Ali’s bowling. Fakhar Zaman provided some hope with a quick 20 off 24 balls, but he was dismissed by Jahandad Khan. Kamran Ghulam’s brief stay at the crease ended with 11 runs, as Abrar Ahmed took a crucial wicket to halt the momentum.
Captain Mohammad Rizwan fought hard, scoring 33 off 39 balls, but his dismissal by Mehran Mumtaz left the Stallions in deep trouble. The middle-order resistance led by Salman’s 51 and Iftikhar’s aggressive 60 offered hope, but once Iftikhar fell to Mehran, the lower order crumbled. Abdul Samad’s quickfire 37 was also short-lived, as Babar Azam took a sharp catch off Mehran’s bowling.
The lower-order collapse saw Zahid run out without scoring, while Naseem Shah and Shahnawaz Dahani fell for ducks. Akif Javed managed a brief 5 off 4 balls, but Jahandad bowled Dahani to wrap up the innings.
Standout Bowlers
Jahandad shone with the ball, picking up 4 wickets, while Mehran impressed with 3 wickets, effectively dismantling the Markhors’ batting lineup.
Playing XIs:
Markhors: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Faizan, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan (c) (wk), Salman Agha, Abdul Samad, Zahid Mahmood, Naseem Shah, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shahnawaz Dahani
Stallions: Shan Masood, Yasir Khan, Babar Azam, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Haris (c) (wk), Hussain Talat, Jahandad Khan, Mehran Mumtaz, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Ali
