Panthers clinch Champions One-Day Cup

Lake City Panthers became the winners of the inaugural Bahria Town Champions One-Day Cup as they beat UMT Markhors by five wickets in the final here at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad on Sunday evening.

Out of a PKR49 million prize pot, the Shadab Khan-led Lake City Panthers bagged prize money of PKR30 million while the UMT Markhors collected the runners-up prize of PKR15 million.

Panthers bundled out the Markhors, after they opted to bat first, for a mere 122-run total in 33.4 overs and then took just 18 overs to chase it down with five wickets in the bag as skipper Shadab Khan hit the winning six. Abdul Wahid Bangalzai top scored for Panthers with 41 off 43 balls hitting five fours and two sixes.

Earlier, three wicket hauls by Arafat Minhas (3-1) and Mohammad Hasnain (3-38), who also finished with a tournament tally of 17 wickets, backed up by player of the match performance by Sajid Khan (2-24) dented the Markhors progress with the bat as they collapsed from 82-2 in 18.2 overs to 122 all out in 33.4 overs. Shadab and Ali Raza also picked up one wicket each.

After Markhors copped two early blows with the scorecard reading 26-2 in 5.3 overs, Haseebullah (27, 48b, 3x4s) stitched a 56-run third-wicket partnership with Fakhar Zaman who top scored for the Markhors with 46 off 49 balls clubbing five fours and one six.

Off-spinner Sajid got rid of both the set batters in 19th and 21st overs to spark a batting collapse as Markhors lost their last eight wickets in 15.2 overs. Apart from Haseebullah and Fakhar, only Bismillah Khan (16, 37b, 2x4s) reached double figures for Markhors.

In turn, Panthers’ opening batters raced to 51 in 7.4 overs before Umar Siddiq departed for 19 with the help of three fours. Sajid (15, 13b, 2x4s, 1x6), promoted to bat at No.3, was the second batter to be dismissed as Markhors struck regular blows to reduce the Panthers from 51-1 to 94-5 in 15 overs.

Usman Khan, who finished as the top run-scorer of the tournament with 272 runs in six games, only contributed 13 off eight balls hitting a four and a six. Rizwan Mehmood (16 not out, 12b, 3x4s) and Shadab (14, 9b, 1x4, 1x6) stitched a 29-run stand for the sixth wicket to take their team home safely.

For Markhors, Mohammad Imran Jnr and Akif Javed picked up two wickets each while Shahnawaz Dahani dismissed one batter.

Scores in brief

Final – Lake City Panthers beat UMT Markhors by five wickets 

UMT Markhors: 122 all out, 33.4 overs (Fakhar Zaman 46, Haseebullah 27; Arafat Minhas 3-1, Mohammad Hasnain 3-38, Sajid Khan 2-24, Ali Raza 1-19, Shadab Khan 1-20)

Lake City Panthers: 123-5, 18 overs (Abdul Wahid Bangalzai 41, Umar Siddiq 19, Rizwan Mehmood 16 not out, Sajid Khan 15, Shadab Khan 14 not out; Mohammad Imran Jnr 2-11, Akif Javed 2-42)

Bahria Town Player of the match: Sajid Khan (Lake City Panthers)

Mentors’ choice Emerging Player of the Tournament: Ali Raza - Lake City Panthers (Four wickets)

Trans Group Wicket-keeper of the Tournament: Usman Khan – Lake City Panthers (7 dismissals)

Inverex Solar Energy energetic Batter of the Tournament: Usman Khan – Lake City Panthers (272 runs)

Trans Group best Bowler of the Tournament: Mohammad Hasnain – Lake City Panthers (17 wickets)

Bahria Town Player of the Tournament: Mohammad Hasnain – Lake City Panthers (17 wickets)