Pakistan Champions One-Day Cup Match 10 - Lions go down fighting to Dolphins but still reach Eliminator

Dolphins Sufiyan Muqeem celebrates

©PCB

By PCB & Cricket World

Sunday 22 September 2024

Pakistan Champions One-Day Cup

Match 10, Faisalabad

Dolphins-Pak won by 16 runs.

Dolphins-Pak326/10

Lions-Pak310/8

Scorecard

Stats

Engro Dolphins beat Nurpur Lions by 16 runs in the last league match of the Champions One-Day Cup here at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad on Sunday night

Match Summary

Dolphins vs Lions, Match 10

Dolphins-Pak 326/10 (49.3 ov)

Lions-Pak 310/8 (50 ov)

Result - Dolphins-Pak won by 16 runs

SCORECARD

Match Analysis

Despite the loss, the Lions have qualified for the playoff stage and will face Allied Bank Stallions on Wednesday’s eliminator. The Tuesday’s Qualifier will be played between UMT Markhors and Lake City Panthers.

In this crucial game, chasing 327 runs, the Lions needed to score 260 or more in order to qualify, which they did in the 47^th over but fell 16 runs short as they finished 310-8 in 50 overs.

Earlier, after opting to bat first, the Dolphins opening batters Mohammad Huraira (47, 41b, 4x4s, 2x6s) and Muhammad Akhlaq (52, 50b, 3x4s, 4x6s) laid the platform for a big score as they put on 63-ball 77-run second-wicket stand before the former departed in the 16^th over.

After Dolphins were reduced to 126-3 in 19.1 overs, Umar Amin, the top scorer for Dolphins, hit 75 off 81 balls with the help of nine fours to keep the innings intact. He also put on a 53-run (fourth-wicket) and 62-run (sixth-wicket) stand with Saud Shakeel (23, 23b, 1x4) and Qasim Akram (31, 26b, 4x4s), respectively.

Faheem Ashraf ‘s 30 off 20 including three sixes helped Dolphins cross the 300-run mark as they finished 326 all out in 49.3 overs. Aamir Jamal (3-69), Ahmed Daniyal (2-58) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-58) were the leading bowlers for Lions as Khushdil Shah and Sharoon Siraj picked up one wicket each.

Half-centuries from Rohail Nazir (62, 70b, 6x4s, 1x6) and Khushdil (60, 40b) were crucial in keeping the Lions in hunt of 327-run target. After a 78-run opening partnership between Rohail and Abdullah Shafique (27, 42b, 3x4s), Omair Bin Yousuf and Sharoon Siraj contributed 26 and 25 runs, respectively before Lions were reduced to 172-4 in 29 overs.

Mohammad Taha (40, 49b, 4x4s) and Muhammad Irfan Khan (13, 16b, 1x4) departed in a space of 19 balls as Lions were dented to 213-6 in 38 overs. Khushdil, batting at No. 7, hit four fours and five sixes and was aided by Shaheen Shah Afridi who smoked five sixes in his unbeaten 33 off 28 balls but in vain.

Saud (2-24) and Mohammad Abbas Afridi (2-78) were the leading bowlers for Dolphins.

Match Stats

Dolphins Fall of wickets: 1-35 (Sahibzada Farhan - 5.2 ov), 2-112 (Mohammad Huraira - 15.3 ov), 3-126 (Muhammad Akhlaq - 19.1 ov), 4-179 (Saud Shakeel - 28.1 ov), 5-195 (Asif Ali - 31.4 ov), 6-257 (Qasim Akram - 38.5 ov), 7-275 (Umar Amin - 41.4 ov), 8-303 (Abbas Afridi - 45.1 ov), 9-312 (Faheem Ashraf - 46.2 ov), 10-326 (Mir Hamza - 49.3 ov)

Lions Fall of wickets: 1-78 (Abdullah Shafique - 13.3 ov), 2-128 (Rohail Nazir - 22.4 ov), 3-141 (Omair Yousuf - 24.4 ov), 4-172 (Sharoon Siraj - 28.6 ov), 5-204 (Irfan Khan - 34.6 ov), 6-213 (Mohammad Taha Khan - 37.6 ov), 7-246 (Aamer Jamal - 44.1 ov), 8-310 (Khushdil Shah - 49.5 ov)