Markhors registered their third win in the Champions One-Day Cup 2024 with a convincing 92-run victory over Dolphins in the sixth match at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium. Mohammad Rizwan’s team successfully defended a total of 285, dismissing Dolphins for 192.
Markhors’ innings: Kamran Ghulam’s century steers the ship
Markhors set a competitive total of 284/9, with Kamran Ghulam leading the charge. Ghulam’s century, 113 runs off 110 balls with 12 fours and 3 sixes, was instrumental in stabilizing the innings after early wickets. Despite losing Bismillah Khan for a duck and Mohammad Faizan for just 1 run, Ghulam’s innings ensured a strong total. Skipper Rizwan added a solid 51 runs off 67 balls, while Salman Agha contributed 49 off 47 deliveries.
The tailenders also played crucial roles, with Zahid Mahmood remaining unbeaten on 15 and Akif Javed striking a six off the final ball to add vital runs. Faheem Ashraf stood out with the ball for Dolphins, taking 4 wickets for 43 runs, including key dismissals of Iftikhar Ahmed, Abdul Samad and Mohammad Imran. Mir Hamza also made a notable contribution, claiming 2 wickets for 26 runs in his 10-over spell.
Mir Hamza’s outstanding delivery
Hamza was the silver lining for Dolphins, showcasing exceptional skill with the ball. His performance included a standout delivery that dismissed Khan’s. In the first over, Hamza’s immaculate seam position and delivery rattled Khan’s stumps, providing a crucial early breakthrough. Khan attempted to play forward with a full face of the bat, but a slight gap between the bat and pad allowed Hamza’s delivery to dislodge the bails, marking a memorable start for the left-arm pacer.
Here’s the video:
Second for Mir Hamza! #DiscoveringChampions #BahriaTownChampionsCup #EngroDolphinsvUMTMarkhors pic.twitter.com/3ZalJABdie
— Bahria Town Champions Cup (@championscuppcb) September 18, 2024
Also READ: Champions One-Day Cup 2024 Schedule: Date, Match Time, Broadcast & Live Streaming details
Dolphins’ chase: Struggles and resistance
In their chase, Dolphins faltered against Markhors’ bowling. Sahibzada Farhan contributed a steady 24 runs off 35 balls, but his opening partner Muhammad Hurraira was dismissed for a duck, leaving the team at 12-1. Further setbacks followed as Muhammad Akhlaq managed only 1 run before falling. Captain Saud Shakeel provided some stability with a valuable 41 runs from 56 balls, but he was dismissed with the team at 99/5. Qasim Akram offered resistance with 13 runs from 22 balls before being bowled by Salman Agha.
Asif Ali played an attacking knock, scoring 50 runs off 43 balls with three boundaries and three sixes. Despite his efforts, Dolphins struggled to build partnerships and were eventually bowled out for 192 in 43.5 overs. Ashraf added 15 runs but was dismissed lbw by Mohammad Imran. Imran and Salman Agha each took three wickets, sealing the win for Markhors.
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