Markhors best the Panthers in the Champions One Day Cup opener as they win by a whopping margin of 160 runs.
Markhors began the tournament in formidable fashion as they beat the Panthers in the tournament’s opening game.
Shadab Khan’s Panthers were no match for the Naseem Shah-led Markhors bowling as they consequently crumbled on a paltry score of 187.
Panthers won the toss and skipper Shadab had no hesitation in putting the Rizwan-led side in to bat. Kamran Ghulam led the charge for Markhors, scoring a quickfire 115 which was the cornerstone in the side’s 347.
Panthers were never really in the contest, with six of the top seven failing to reach double figures. Naseem’s 3-27 helped reduce them to 52 for 6.
A late rearguard by Amad Butt, who managed a spirited 72, was much too little much too late.
The opening game of a tournament Faisalabad attract a decent crowd. The crowd grew in numbers in the pleasant conditions in the evening.
Panthers had Markhors on a leash early as they removed Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Faizan before they caused damage. Mubasir Khan was the pick of the bowlers but the other bowlers did not provide enough support.
Shadab Khan was picked off in the middle overs and never returned to bowl. Fellow spinner Usama Mir was clobbered around the park for 83 runs without a wicket. Poor bowling meant that Markhors blitzed 83 runs in the last 5 overs.
Naseem, aided by Shahnawaz Dahani, killed the game off before the chase ever took flight. A combined 5 wickets for 56 ripped through Panthers’ batting order. Amad combined with Mubasir and Usama for a pair of half-century partnerships. But that was only delaying the inevaitable as the result was all but sealed.