ABL Stallions consolidated their position on the Champions T20 Cup table with a close win over Nurpur Lions. The Stallions managed to set a challenging total of 162/5 in their 20 overs, and despite a strong fight from the Lions, they fell short, finishing at 150/7.
The Stallions’ innings got off to a rocky start, with Shamyl Hussain (4 off 3 balls) falling to Aamer Yamin in the opening over, and Yasir Khan (0 off 1 ball) being run out by Shahid Aziz in the second over. However, Maaz Sadaqat (32 off 29 balls) helped steady the ship, playing a steady knock until he was dismissed by Faisal Akram in the 8th over.
The middle order flourished with Mohammad Haris (25 off 18 balls) and Hussain Talat (51* off 36 balls), who anchored the innings. Shoaib Malik contributed with 39 runs off 30 balls, before falling to Muhammad Musa, ensuring the Stallions reached a respectable total of 162/5.
The Lions began their chase poorly, with Zeeshan Malik falling for a duck (0 off 3 balls) in the first over, dismissed by Mohammad Ali. However, Imam-ul-Haq (43 off 28 balls) played a brilliant knock, finding boundaries with ease, including 4 fours and a six. He was dismissed by Usman Tariq in the 10th over with the score at 78.
Hasan Nawaz (30 off 25 balls) and Rohail Nazir (3 off 4 balls) struggled in the middle, as they were sent back to the pavilion, with Nawaz falling to Shoaib Malik and Nazir being dismissed by Usman Tariq.
However, Khushdil Shah (28 off 29 balls) fought hard, but his dismissal by Zaman Khan in the 19th over practically sealed the game for the Stallions.
| Rank | Team | Win | Loss | Tie/NR | NRR | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stallions | 2 | 0 | 0 | +1.750 | 4 |
| 2 | Markhors | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.605 | 2 |
| 3 | Panthers | 1 | 1 | 0 | +0.100 | 2 |
| 4 | Lions | 0 | 2 | 0 | -0.603 | 0 |
| 5 | Dolphins | 0 | 1 | 0 | -2.063 | 0 |