Shadab Khan’s Panthers claimed victory in the inaugural Champions One-Day Cup, defeating the Markhors by five wickets in a thrilling final at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium. The Panthers chased down a modest target of 123 in just 18 overs, despite encountering a few challenges along the way.
The Markhors, who opted to bat first, struggled against the Panthers’ disciplined bowling attack and were bowled out for just 122 runs in 33.4 overs. Their innings got off to a rocky start when opener Zain Abbas was dismissed early, caught by Umar Siddiq off Mohammad Hasnain for just 6 runs.
Fakhar Zaman, the only player to show some resistance, provided a brief spark with a fluent 46 off 49 balls, hitting five boundaries and a six. However, his dismissal by Sajid Khan, caught by Rizwan Mehmood, triggered a steady collapse.
Interim captain Iftikhar Ahmed, filling in for Mohammad Rizwan, was expected to anchor the innings but fell cheaply for just 3 runs, trapped leg-before-wicket by Hasnain. The middle order also struggled to build momentum, with Kamran Ghulam (2), Haseebullah Khan (27), and Bismillah Khan (16) failing to forge substantial partnerships. Haseebullah was bowled by Sajid Khan, while Bismillah was caught by Abdul Bangalzai off Arafat Minhas.
The lower order provided little resistance, with Abdul Samad dismissed without scoring, and Zahid Mahmood remaining unbeaten on 7. The tailenders, Mohammad Imran (2) and Shahnawaz Dahani (0), fell quickly, with Minhas and Hasnain cleaning up the lower order. Mohammad Hasnain and Arafat Minhas were the standout bowlers, each claiming three wickets, while Sajid Khan added two to his tally.
In response, the Panthers started their chase steadily but faced some resistance from the Markhors’ bowlers. Opener Umar Siddiq played a composed knock of 19 off 21 balls before being bowled by Shahnawaz Dahani. His partner, Abdul Bangalzai, led the charge with a crucial 41 off 43 balls, including five boundaries and two sixes, before being caught behind off Mohammad Imran.
Sajid Khan (15) and Usman Khan (13) provided useful contributions in the middle order but were both dismissed by Akif Javed, leaving the Panthers at 96/4.
Despite losing Haider Ali for a duck, Rizwan Mehmood remained calm under pressure, adding 16 unbeaten runs off 12 balls. Rizwan, along with skipper Shadab Khan, who scored 14 not out off 9 balls, guided the Panthers to victory with 12 balls to spare, securing a comfortable five-wicket win.
Shadab Khan’s leadership and all-round contributions were key to the Panthers’ success throughout the tournament. With sharp bowling from Hasnain and Minhas and a steady batting performance, the Panthers lifted the Champions One-Day Cup trophy, capping off a strong campaign.
