Shadab Khan’s Panthers secured victory in the inaugural Champions One-Day Cup, defeating the Markhors by five wickets in the final at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium. The Panthers chased down a modest target of 123 in just 18 overs, despite facing a few bumps along the way.
Opting to bat first for the Champions Cup final, the Markhors struggled against a disciplined Panthers’ bowling attack and were bowled out for a mere 122 in 33.4 overs. The innings started on a shaky note when Zain Abbas was dismissed early, caught by Umar Siddiq off Mohammad Hasnain for just 6 runs. Fakhar Zaman, the only Markhors player to offer some resistance, provided a brief spark with a fluent 46 off 49 balls, including five boundaries and a six. However, his dismissal by Sajid Khan, caught by Rizwan Mehmood, marked the beginning of a steady collapse.
Markhors interim skipper Iftikhar Ahmed, following Mohammad Rizwan’s departure for national duties, was expected to anchor the innings, fell cheaply for just 3 runs, trapped leg-before-wicket by Hasnain. The middle order also failed to contribute significantly, with Kamran Ghulam (2), Haseebullah Khan (27), and Bismillah Khan (16) unable to build substantial partnerships. Haseebullah was bowled by Sajid Khan, while Bismillah was caught by Abdul Bangalzai off Arafat Minhas.
Lower-order batsmen Abdul Samad and Zahid Mahmood provided little resistance, with Samad dismissed without scoring, while Zahid remained unbeaten on 7. The tailenders, Mohammad Imran (2) and Shahnawaz Dahani (0), fell swiftly, with Minhas and Hasnain cleaning up the lower order. Mohammad Hasnain and Arafat Minhas led the bowling charge, claiming three wickets each, while Sajid Khan chipped in with two scalps.
In response, the Panthers’ chase got off to a steady start, but they too encountered some early 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, was the star of the chase, scoring 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) contributed useful runs in the middle order but were both dismissed by Akif Javed, leaving the Panthers at 96/4. Rizwan Mehmood, however, remained calm under pressure, adding 16 unbeaten runs from 12 balls. Despite losing Haider Ali for a duck, Rizwan and skipper Shadab Khan (14 not out off 9 balls) guided the Panthers home with 12 balls to spare, sealing a comfortable five-wicket victory.
Shadab Khan’s leadership and contributions with both bat and ball were instrumental in the Panthers’ successful campaign. His team’s sharp bowling, particularly from Hasnain and Minhas, and a steady batting performance ensured they lifted the Champions One-Day Cup trophy.
