Lions thrash Markhors by 35 runs to clinch first win
Cricket
Muhammad Irfan Khan displayed fireworks with bat as he smashed a century off 56 balls
FAISALABAD (Dunya News) – Lions on Friday defeated Markhors by 35 runs to secure the first win of the Champions One-Day Cup at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.
Mohammad Rizwan’s side was restricted to 332-9 in 50-over match as it was chasing a mammoth target of 368 runs.
Fakhar Zaman made 82 runs while Salman Ali Aghan scored 69 and Abdul Samad posted 42 runs.
Shaheen Afrid, Amir Yamin, Ahmed Daniyal and Khushdil Shah claimed two wickets each to thump the confident Markhors.
Earlier, a splendid century by Muhammad Irfan Khan and incredible batting by other players guided Lions set a mammoth target of 368 runs for Markhors in eighth match of the Champions One-Day Cup at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, on Friday.
After Lions opted to bat first, openers Abdullah Shafique and Imamul Haq off to a flying start as they stitched a partnership of 110 runs before Zahid Mahmood removed them back-to-back.
Omair Bin Yousaf and Mohammad Taha managed to maintain the momentum as they made 30 and 31 respectively. After Yousaf was sent packing Irfan Khan replaced him and showed magic with the bat as he made a century off 56 balls.
He got full support from Khushdil Shah who scored 73 off 45, helping their side to post a huge total of 367 runs.
A day earlier, Babar Azam smashed his 30th List-A century, becoming the first Pakistan batter to register 30 or more List-A centuries, as Stallions triumphed over Engro Dolphins by 174 runs here at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad on Thursday evening.
For the second consecutive game Dolphins failed to chase a total as they followed their yesterday’s score of 192 all out by 97 all out in pursuit of the 272-run target.
