By Asghar Ali Mubarak
Panthers won the Champions ODI Cup by defeating Markhors. The winning team was given a prize money of 3 crores and the runner-up was given 150 crores.
Usman Khan of the victorious team was declared the best batsman and the best wicket keeper of the tournament, while Muhammad Hasnain won the best bowler and player of the tournament award.
In the first match of the play-off stage of the Champions ODI Cup, Panthers defeated Markhor by 7 wickets to qualify for the final. The second eliminator was to be between Markhor and Lions, which was canceled due to wet outfield. The second eliminator match was cancelled. After that, the team of Markhors reached the final due to better position on the points table in the league matches.
In the final at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, Markhors captain Iftikhar Ahmed won the toss in vain. Opener Zain Abbas got out after scoring six runs, Kamran Ghulam scored two runs, Fakhar Zaman scored 46 runs and Haseebullah scored 27 runs. After him Bismullah Khan got into double figures with 16 runs and the whole team got out by scoring 122 runs. Muhammad Hasnain and Arafat Minhas of Panthers took three wickets each.
In pursuit of the target, Panthers’ Abdulwahid Bengalzai played a brilliant innings of 41 runs. Sajid Khan and Usman Khan got out by scoring 15 runs and then Rizwan Mehmood scored 16 runs and captain Shadab Khan scored 14 runs to give his team victory by five wickets. Panthers achieved the target of 123 runs in 18 overs and won the title. Sajid Khan was Man of the Match thanks to two catches and 15 runs in the final.
