Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin ReportFAISALABAD: The National T20 Cup will begin from Friday (March 14) at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad with defending champions Karachi Region Whites taking on Islamabad Region. On the same day, Bahawalpur Region will take on Dera Murad Jamali Region at the same venue.18 teams from 16 regions will feature in the tournament, with participating teams divided into four groups. The matches will also be played at Lahore’s two venues – Gaddafi Stadium and LCCA and Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan.The top two sides from each group will qualify for the quarter-final stage, which will be played at the Iqbal Stadium on 23 and 24 March, with the semi-finals set to take place at the same venue on 26 March.The final of the tournament will be played at the Iqbal Stadium on 27 March, with the winning team bagging a prize money of PKR five million, while the runners-up will have to settle with PKR 2.5 million. The double-header matches in Faisalabad will begin at 7pm PKT, while the matches in Lahore and Multan will start at 4.30pm PKT.

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The National T20 Cup 2024-25 will start on March 14 with 18 teams from 16 regions set to take part in the event. The tournament will see 39 matches played across three cities, Faisalabad, Lahore and Multan.The Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad will host 23 matches, including the knockout stage of the competition. In Lahore, the Gaddafi Stadium and LCCA Ground will serve as the two venues, while the Multan Cricket Stadium will host eight games. A prize pot of PKR 9.4 million will also be up for grabs, with the winning team clinching PKR five million and the runners-up getting PKR 2.5 million.Abbottabad Region: Adil Naz, Afaq Ahmad, Ahmad Khan, Aitzaz Habib Khan, Aqib Khan, Arshad Iqbal, Fayyaz Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Khalid Usman, Khayam Khan, Mohammad Arif, Sajjad Ali Hashmi, Shahab Khan, Shahzaib Khan and Yasir Shah Reserve players: Anees Azam, Israr Hussain, Mehroz Rasheed, Mohammad Adil and RiazullahAJK Region: Aqib Liaqat, Awais Akram, Basit Ali, Faizan Saleem, Hassan Raza (Captain), Hussnain Nadeem, Mohammad Haider, Nadeem Khalil, Naveed Malik, Qazi Arbaqan, Rohan Qadri, Saad Asif, Salman Irshad, Usman Maroof and Zaman Khan Reserve players: Ibrar Ahmed, Moin pervaiz, Najam Naseer Kayani, Raja Farhan and Usman YousafBahawalpur Region: Mohammad Imran Randhawa (Captain), Ali Shabbir, Aun Shehzad, Hasnain Majid, Imran Khan Snr, Mehran Sanwal, Mohammad Akram, Mohammad Ammar, Mohammad Azab, Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Faizan Zafar, Mohammad Junaid, Mohammad Shaharyar, Mohammad Shahid, Mohammad Sudais and Salahuddin Reserve players: Ali Umar, Gulfam Aziz, Khaqan Bashir, Mohammad Alamgir and Shayan KhalilDera Murad Jamali: Abubakar, Basit Ali, Dawood Khan, Fahad Hussain, Farhad Khan, Majid Ali, Mohammad Deen, Mohammad Shahid, Mohammad Uzair, Nasir Khan, Rasool Bakhsh, Shoaib Ahmed, Tariq Jameel, Yasir Hussain and Zahoor AhmedFaisalabad Region: Asif Ali (Captain), Ahmed Safi Abdullah, Ali Asfand, Ali Raza, Ali Shan, Ibtisam-ur-Rehman, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Awais Zafar, Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Kashif, Mohammad Zeeshan, Momin Qamar, Raees Ahmed, Shehzad Gul and Taimur Sultan Reserve players: Asad Raza, Asim Ali Nasir, Arham Nawab, Atiq-ur-Rehman and Hammad HamzaFATA Region: Asif Afridi (Captain), Afaq Ahmed, Azaz Khan, Ifranullah Shah, Khubaib Khalil, Maaz Khan, Mohammad Farooq, Mohammad Naeem, Mohammad Sarwar Afridi, Mohammad Usman, Rehan Afridi, Salman Khan, Sameen Gul, Samiullah Jnr and Shahid Aziz Reserve players: Aimal Khan, Fazal-ur-Rehman, Khayal Man, Nisar Afridi and Sohaib KhanHyderabad Region: Akbar Khan, Fawad Ahmed, Jawad Ali Bhatti, Kashif Bhatti, Majid Asghar, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Saddam, Mohammad Waqar, Mohammad Azeem Ghumman, Mustafa Nasir, Noman Ali, Rizwan Mehmood, Saad Khan, Sharjeel Khan and Ubaidullah Khan Reserve players: Asad Malik, Fardeen, Haris Khan, Mohammad Huzaifa and Sheharyar BalochIslamabad Region: Ali Imran, Arsal Sheikh, Farmanullah Khan, Hammad Saddique, Kaleem Dil, Mohammad Umair Riaz, Musa Khan, Naseerullah Khan, Nusratullah, Raja Hamza Waheed, Rohail Nazir, Sarmad Bhatti, Shamyl Hussain, Shayan Sheikh and Umair Afridi Reserve players: Faizan Riaz, Mohammad Hammad Khan, Mohammad Nadeem, Murtaza Jamal and Rizwan AliKarachi Region Blues: Abdullah Fazal, Aftab Ibrahim, Arish Ali Khan, Bahadur Ali, Fahad Amin, Huzaifa Munir, Jahanzaib Sultan, Kashif Ali, Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Hamza Sohail, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori, Rameez Aziz, Saifullah Bangash, Wahaj Riaz and Waleed Azeem Reserve players: Adeel Meo, Aftab Khan, Arbaz Khan, Naveed Ahmed Khan and Sahil IqbalKarachi Region Whites: Afnan Khan, Arif Yaqoob, Danish Aziz, Haroon Arshad, Khurram Manzoor, Khwaja Mohammad Nafay, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Taha, Mohammad Umar, Saad Baig, Saqib Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Sohail Khan Reserve players: Abdul Moiz, Ashiq Ali, Maaz Khurram Amin, Mohammad Tariq Khan and Sarfaraz AhmedLahore Region Blues: Farhan Yousaf, Hammad Butt, Hunain Shah, Hussain Talat, Imran Butt, Junaid Ali, Mohammad Arsalan, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Zahid, Nisar Ahmed, Qasim Akram, Salman Mirza, Samama Riaz and Umar Siddiq Reserve players: Asfand Mehran, Hafiz Usman Nadeem, Hamid Liaqat, Intasar Ali and Khawaja Mohammad AbdullahLahore Region Whites: Ahmed Bashir, Ahmed Daniyal, Attayb Ahmed, Hassan Rizwan, Kamran Afzal, Mohammad Azeem, Mohammad Faiq, Mohammad Mohsin, Mohammad Rameez. Mohammad Saleem, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Akhlaq, Saad Nasim, Tayyab Tahir, Ubaid Shah and Zain Bin Farooq Reserve Players: Danish Butt, Imran Dogar, Mohammad Ahsan, Mohammad Waheed and WasiullahLarkana Region: Amir Ali Babar, Amir Ali Brohi, Aqeel Danish, Bilal Irshad, Ghulam Raza Mahar, Imtiaz Laghari, Mohsin Raza, Muhshtaq Ahmed, Sabit Ali, Sarfraz Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shahzaib Ali, Shahzaib Aziz, Umar Khalid and Zahid Mehmood Reserve players: Asif Ali Chandio, Faraz Aziz, Hamesh Kumar, Mohammad Umar and Najaf AliMultan Region: Aamer Yamin, Ali Majid, Arfat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Humayun Altaf, Imam-ul-Haq, M Ismail Watto, Mohammad Shahzad, Sharoon Siraj, Tahir Hussain, Uzair Mumtaz, Waqar Hussain, Waseem Akram Jnr, Zain Abbas and Zeeshan Ashraf Reserve players: Ali Haider, Ali Usman, Huzaifa Ayub, Mohammad Sadaqat and Rao IrfanPeshawar Region: Iftikhar Ahmed (Captain), Abubakkar, Adil Amin, Israrullah, Maaz Sadaqat, Moazzam Umar, Mohammad Amir Khan, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Mohammad Zulkifal, Mohammad Amir Barki, Niaz Khan, Nizar Ali, Sahibzada Farhan, Usman Tariq and Waqar Ahmed Reserve players: Ahmed Khan, Gohar Ali, Hilal Khan, Mohsin Khan and Nabi GulQuetta Region: Abdul Hameed, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Bismillah khan, Bohar Aman, Ehsanullah, Haseebullah, Latifullah, Mohammad Ibrahim, Mohammad Idrees, Mohammad Junaid, Najeebullah, Sajid Khan, Shamraiz Khan, Usman Khan Shinwari and Yasir Khan Reserve players: Ikramullah, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Javed, Nizamuddin and Sohail MajeedRawalpindi Region: Aqib Shah, Atif Khan, Kashif Ali, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Awais Anwar, Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Nabeel, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Raza-ul-Mustafa, Mubasir Khan, Nasir Nawaz, Saad Masood, Taimur Khan, Yasir Khan and Zeeshan Malik Reserve players: Abdul Faseeh, Ali Hasnain, Amir Hassan, Usman Khan and Ziad KhanSialkot Region: Abdullah Shafique, Afzaal Manzoor, Ahmed Hassan, Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti, Amad Butt, Ashir Mehmood, Bilawal Bhatti, Hasan Ali, Mirza Tahir Baig, Mohammad Huraira, Mohsin Riaz, Shoaib Akhtar Jnr, Shoaib Malik and Usama Mir Reserve players: Ali Shafique, Awais Ali, Ayaz Tasawar, Azan Awais and Shahzaib Bhatti 

Amad claims 5 wickets, PTV players overcome State Bank of Pakistan by 3 wickets in finalArsalan SheraziRAWALPINDI: On the fourth day, PTV chased the target of 153 runs, securing victory with 7 wickets down. In the first innings, State Bank of Pakistan was bowled out for 205 runs. PTV’s Mohammad Shehzad achieved a hat-trick, taking 5 wickets.PTV scored 317 runs in their first innings, gaining a 112-run lead. PTV’s Waqar Hussain and Muhammad Shehzad scored centuries in the first innings. Waqar Hussain scored 106, while Mohammad Shehzad remained unbeaten with 125 runs.In the second innings, State Bank of Pakistan was all out for 264 runs. PTV captain Imad Butt took 5 wickets. The five-day night final was played with a pink ball at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.  

Sports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: Rameez Aziz struck an unbeaten century to help State Bank of Pakistan post 314 for five in 90 overs against Eshaal Associates on day one of the sixth round match of the President’s Trophy Grade-I on Friday. SNGPL’s Kashif Ali and KRL’s Jawad Ali bagged five-fers against HEC and Ghani Glass, respectively.At UBL Sports Complex, batting first, HEC were bundled out for 179 in 43.4 overs against SNGPL. Mohammad Mohsin Khan top-scored for the side with 37. In turn, SNGPL were 100 for seven in 29 overs when stumps were drawn. HEC’s Maaz Khurram was the pick of the bowlers, bagging three wickets for 34.At KCCA Stadium, Ghani Glass on the back of Junaid Ali’s 116 managed to score 390 for nine in 91.2 overs, when stumps were drawn. Junaid’s innings included 20 boundaries, which came off 148 balls. Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood was the other notable run-getter with a 60-ball 67, which included 12 fours. KRL’s Jawad Ali grabbed five wickets for 115 runs, while Mohammad Qaisar took three wickets for 60.Rameez Aziz’ eighth first-class century (135 not out, 180b, 21x4s) and half-centuries by Test batters Fawad Alam (59, 141b, 5x4s) and Imran Butt (55, 91b, 6x4s) lifted SBP to 314 for five in 90 overs against Eshaal Associates at SBP Sports Complex. For Eshaal Associates, Jalat Khan and Nisar Ahmed took two wickets each.At Rashid Latif Cricket Academy Ground in Karachi, PTV, on the back of half-centuries by Waqar Hussain (78, 103b, 6x4s, 3x6s), Muhammad Shahzad (74, 74b, 8x4s, 2x6s) and Mohammad Taha (59, 97b, 7x4s) managed to score 375 for six in 90 overs. For WAPDA, captain Khalid Usman was the most successful bowler, taking four wickets for 124 in 31 overs.Scores in brief:Day 1 of 4Higher Education Commission vs Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited at UBL Sports Complex, KarachiHEC 179 all out, 43.4 overs (Mohammad Mohsin Khan 37, Abdullah Fazal 29; Kashif Ali 5-56, Mohammad Salman 2-30, Bilawal Bhatti 2-31)SNGPL 100-7, 29 overs (Abid Ali 30, Saif Ullah Bangash 26, Qasim Akram 23 not out; Maaz Khurram Amin 3-34, Waseem Akram Jnr 2-20, Muhammad Azab 2-42)Khan Research Laboratories vs Ghani Glass at KCCA Stadium, KarachiGhani Glass 390-9, 91.2 overs (Junaid Ali 116, Shan Masood 67, Noman Ali 49, Kashif Ali 46; Jawad Ali 5-115, Mohammad Qaisar 3-60)State Bank of Pakistan vs Eshaal Associates at SBP Sports Complex, KarachiSBP 314-5, 90 overs (Rameez Aziz 135 not out, Fawad Alam 59, Imran Butt 55; Nisar Ahmed 2-69, Jalat Khan 2-74)Pakistan Television vs Water and Power Development Authority at Rashid Latif Cricket Academy Ground, KarachiPTV 375-6, 90 overs (Waqar Hussain 78, Mohammad Shahzad 74, Mohammad Taha 59, Shamyl Hussain 42; Khalid Usman 4-124).

Lahore (PR): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today announced that preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 were in full swing, with the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and National Bank Stadium in Karachi nearing completion to host tournament matches.In a regular update, the PCB assured the fans, spectators and media that all upgradation work was progressing on schedule and will be completed before or around the set deadlines. Given the advanced stage of preparations at Gaddafi Stadium and National Bank Stadium, the PCB has decided to relocate the upcoming tri-nation ODI series to these two venues. The series, featuring New Zealand and South Africa alongside Pakistan, was originally scheduled to be held in Multan.This decision reflects the PCB’s confidence in the readiness of these upgraded venues and their ability to deliver a world-class experience for players, officials and fans alike. Further details regarding the series will be shared in due course.Upgrades at Gaddafi Stadium: The spectator capacity at Gaddafi Stadium has been increased to 35,000, with new chairs installed throughout the venue. Additionally, 480 state-of-the-art LED lights have been installed to enhance broadcast LUX levels, ensuring superior viewing quality for fans worldwide. To further elevate the spectator experience, two giant digital replay screens - measuring 80 feet x 30 feet and 22 feet x 35 feet - will be installed next week. The stadium is set to be inaugurated in the last week of January. A brand-new players’ and officials’ hospitality enclosure has also been created, which will be operational by 25 January. The iconic stadium is set to provide an unparalleled experience for all stakeholders.Upgrades at National Bank Stadium: At the National Bank Stadium, significant enhancements have been made, including the creation of a new players’ and officials’ hospitality enclosure at the University End. To improve broadcast coverage, 350 LED lights have been installed, ensuring optimal visibility for global audiences. Two digital replay screens have already been fixed, and 5,000 new chairs have been installed to enhance spectator comfort.Upgrades at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is undergoing minor touch-ups, focusing on the installation of 10,000 new chairs, upgrades to hospitality boxes and the installation of two digital replay screens. These improvements are designed to ensure the stadium exceeds international standards for upcoming events.Maintenance of playing surfaces: Throughout the upgradation process, PCB curators, under the supervision of Tony Hemming, have diligently maintained the outfields and playing surfaces to keep them protected, healthy and fresh. To prioritise these efforts, no competitive cricket has been played in Lahore and Karachi since the commencement of the upgrades, while Rawalpindi last hosted a match late last year.Commitment to Excellence: The PCB is fully committed to ensuring that all venues are ready to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and other international matches. With over 250 workers laboring day and night to meet the 25 January deadline, the PCB is confident that the upgrades will elevate the fan experience and uphold Pakistan’s reputation as a premier cricketing destination.

Karachi (Sports Bulletin Report): Amad Butt led Sialkot from the front as he snapped four wickets to bundle out Peshawar for 258 in 80.1 overs on the first day of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2024-25 final at the UBL Sports Complex, Karachi. In turn, Sialkot only faced two overs jotting eight runs before stumps were drawn. Sialkot opted to bowl first and vindicated their decision by reducing Peshawar to 145-5 and then 258 all out, with none of their batters reaching half-century. Amad, who bagged 4-51 in 19.1 overs, was helped by young pacers Ali Raza (3-62) and Shoaib Akhtar Jnr (2-60) as the trio accounted for nine wickets in 60.1 overs giving away 173 runs.Earlier, opening batter Maaz Sadaqat struck four fours in his 61-ball 32-run stay at the crease while his partner Sahibzada Farhan returned for a mere six off 13 balls. No.4 batter, Nabi Gul faced 72 balls for his 44 runs with the help of seven fours before falling in the 34th over with 106 runs on the board. For Peshawar, No.6 batter Zubair Khan top-scored with 47 off 126 balls including six fours after having walked in at 106-4 in 33.2 overs. He stitched a 39-run fifth-wicket stand with Mehran Ibrahim (31, 65b, 3x4s) and a 48-run sixth-wicket stand with Abuzar Tariq (15, 59b, 2x4s).Skipper Sajid Khan (23, 26b, 4x4s), batting at No. 8 and Niaz Khan (31, 31b, 5x4s), in at No. 9, chipped in with valuable contributions lower down the order to push their team past the 250-run mark. Sialkot will begin the day two, trailing by 250 runs with ten wickets in hand. Scores in brief Final - Day 1 of 5 – Peshawar Region vs Sialkot Region at the UBL Sports Complex, Karachi Peshawar 258 all out, 80.1 overs (Zubair Khan 47, Nabi Gul 44, Maaz Sadaqat 32, Mehran Ibrahim 31, Niaz Khan 31, Sajid Khan 23; Amad Butt 4-51, Ali Raza 3-62, Shoaib Akhtar Jnr 2-60) Sialkot 8-0, 2 overs 

Rawalpindi (SBR): A sparking hundred from opener Yasir Ali and another brilliant bowling display by Mohammad Ali guided ABL Stallions to Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup title with a thumping 75-run win over UMT Markhors in the final at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday evening.Yasir cracked a 57-ball 100 with seven towering sixes and five boundaries to propel Stallions to 199-5 in 20 overs before Ali destroyed Markhors with 3-19 restricting them to 124 all out in 19.1 overs. Stallions have added another title in Pakistan’s T20 history while UMT Markhors have lost their second final, having also lost the Champions Cup one-day final in Faisalabad in September this year.Chasing a daunting 200-run target, Markhors lost wickets at regular intervals. They relied heavily on Fakhar Zaman who failed to follow up his belligerent 89 in the Qualifiers, falling for 20 to Jahandad Khan who finished with 2-31. Spinner Usman Tariq took 2-10 in his four tight overs.Mohammad Faizan smashed three sixes and as many fours in his 33-ball 43 while skipper Iftikhar Ahmed scored 21-ball 22. Markhors' promising players Abdul Samad and Saad Masood failed to score that summed up their team’s below-par batting. It was Yasir all the way in ABL Stallions’ innings after they opted to bat with an idea to put a solid total on the board.Maaz Sadaqat hit the first ball of the innings from Mohammad Nawaz for a six while Yasir smashed two more maximums to show clear intentions. Pacer Akif Javed, pick of the bowlers with 2-32, dismissed Maaz in the third over to bring UMT Markhors back in the match.UMT Markhors had an ideal opportunity to get Yasir out on 12 but Akif Javed dropped a skier off Nisar Ahmed and it cost them dearly. Yasir benefitted with smashing ways, adding 41 for the second wicket with skipper Mohammad Haris whose 15-ball 21 had two sixes. Hussain Talat managed just nine, while Tayyab Tahir scored 17 runs.Yasir, the 22-year-old from Bannu in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, reached his half-century off 33 balls with a six off Nawaz and then lifted the tempo. From 88 he smashed two sixes to reach his second T20 century off 56 balls. He later holed out off Mohammad Faizan.Jahandad Khan cracked two sixes and a boundary in his ten-ball 22 not out to get Stallions to 199-5 in 20 overs. Ali finished as the top bowler with 22 wickets, admirably starring in his team’s triumph in the tournament.

Rawalpindi (PCB Report) Hard-hitting opener Hasan Nawaz smashed a fiery half century while Khushdil Shah produced an all-round show as Nurpur Lions beat ABL Stallions by three wickets in the Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Tuesday. Hasan has been impressing most of the cricket experts with his clean hitting and that was on show as he led the chase for Nurpur Lions. The winners overhauled the 169-run target for the loss of seven wickets with an over to spare.ABL Stallions were all out off the final delivery for 168.Despite the defeat the ABL Stallions were still top of the five-team table with eight points in six games, winning four and losing two games. Nurpur Lions are now third on the table, behind UMT Markhors (second) with six points. They have won three and lost three matches.Lake City Panthers also have six points but are fourth with an inferior net run-rate to Lions. Engro Dolphins have yet to open their account after losing all their five matches.Hasan launched an attack right from the word go and despite losing his opening partner, Imam-ul-Haq for four in the second over, he did not relent. He added 41 for the second wicket with Shahzaib Khan (six). Another 43 were added between Hasan and Mohammad Taha (21 off 18 balls with two sixes). ABL Stallions mentor Shoaib Malik then derailed the chase with wickets of Hasan in the 15th over, leaving 47 to defend in the last five overs. Shoaib also accounted for Khushdil Shah for 10, but Rohail Nazir kept his cool with an innings of 26 not out off 12 balls spiced with three fours and a six to seal the win.Earlier, sent into bat, Hussain Talat once again came to his team’s rescue as he hit a 29-ball 43 with the help of five boundaries and a six. He added 42 for the fifth wicket with Shoaib who made a 16-ball 22 with a boundary and a six.The two were given a good platform by Maaz Sadaqat, who made 34 off 27 balls with three fours and a six.Maaz and young Shamyl Hussain put on a brisk 46 run opening stand by just 5.2 overs. Shamyl’s run-a-ball 18 had one six. Ubaid Shah gave a final flurry to the innings, smashing two sixes and a four in his six-ball 17.ABL Stallions lost three wickets in the last over, including two run outs. Fast bowler Musa Khan was the best of the bowlers with 3-32. Khushdil Shah took 2-30 while Shahid Aziz finished with 2-35.Scores in brief:(Nurpur Lions beat ABL Stallions by three wickets)ABL Stallions 168 all out in 20 overs (Hussain Talat 43, Maaz Sadaqat 34, Shoaib Malik 22, Shamyl Hussain 18; Musa Khan 3-32, Khushdil Shah 2-30, Shahid Aziz 2-35)Nurpur Lions 169-7 in 19 overs (Hasan Nawaz 74, Rohail Nazir 26 not out, Mohammad Taha 21; Maaz Sadaqat 2-16, Shoaib Malik 2-26)Player of the match – Hasan Nawaz (Nurpur Lions).

Rawalpindi (PCB Report): ABL Stallions had the better of Engro Dolphins to come back to winning ways, taking the match by just five runs while Lake City Panthers crushed UMT Markhors by six wickets as the double header in Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup excited the crowds at the Rawalpindi Stadium on Friday.With the victory Stallions are now top of the five-team table with three wins in four matches, accumulating six points. Markhors suffered their first loss but were still second with six points in four matches.Young Ubaid Shah, sibling of Test fast bowler Naseem Shah, held his nerves to defend 14 off the final over and despite being hit for a six by Salman Irshad came out with flying colours, conceding eight runs to give Stallions victory. Dolphins managed to score 185-9 in 20 overs.Chasing a big 191 for victory, Dolphins were treated well on tough waters as Sahibzada Farhan, who scored a brisk 59 off 38 balls with six boundaries and two sixes held the innings. Young Qasim Akram was good in support with a rapid 24-ball 37, spiced with two sixes and four boundaries. Together they added 46 off 27 balls.When skipper Faheem Ashraf came to the crease, Dolphins needed 51 runs in 4.1 overs. Left-hand batter Faheem cracked two sixes and a four in his 12-ball 25 but in the end his runs were not enough.For Stallions, spinners Usman Tariq (2-22) and Mehran Mumtaz (2-32) checked the run chase, while pacer Mohammad Ali finished with 2-34. The most notable point of the match was the return of promising fast bowler Ihsanullah after being sidelined with elbow injury.Earlier, all-rounder Hussain Talat kept his good form intact, scoring 57 not out off just 34 balls. His knock included two sixes and five boundaries. Hussain added a good 109 runs off just 56 balls with Mohammad Mohsin. Mohsin’s eye-catching knock of 55 came off 32 balls which contained four boundaries and as many sixes. The duo smashed a big 65 runs in the last five overs. Leg-spinner Mohammad Ramiz Jnr was the pick of bowlers with 2-29.In the second match, Haider Ali smashed a 29-ball 62 to help Lake City Panthers chase a 164-run target in 18.5 overs. Haider smashed five sixes and four boundaries in an eye-catching knock. Umar Siddiq (30) and Sharjeel Khan (23) laid the foundation with an opening stand of 52. Haider and Mubasir Khan furthered the chase with a third wicket stand of 65. Haider hit the winning six to seal the match.The UMT Markhors’ total of 163 for eight saw young local boy Saad Masood play an anchor’s role with a 39-ball 63 not out. His innings was laced with two sixes and six boundaries. Saad lifted his team from a precarious 7-70 as he kept the scoreboard ticking, adding 35 for the eighth wicket with Nisar Ahmed (21) and another invaluable 58 for the ninth wicket with Akif Javed who made only six. Nisar cracked two sixes in his ten-ball 21.Scores in brief:ABL Stallions beat Engro Dolphins by five runsABL Stallions 190-4 in 20 overs (Hussain Talat 57 not out, Mohammad Mohsin 55, Yasir Khan 36; Mohammad Ramiz Jnr 2-29)Engro Dolphins 185-9 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 59, Qasim Akram 37, Faheem Ashraf 25; Usman Tariq 2-22, Mehran Mumtaz 2-32, Mohammad Ali 2-34)Player of the match: Mohammad Mohsin (ABL Stallions)Lake City Panthers beat UMT Markhors by six wicketsUMT Markhors 163-8 in 20 overs (Saad Masood 63 not out, Abdul Samad 24; Usama Mir 2-14)Lake City Panthers 169-4 in 18.5 overs (Haider Ali 62 not out, Mubasir Khan 32, Umar Siddiq 30; Mohammad Imran Jnr 2-17)Player of the match: Haider Ali (Lake City Panthers). 

Rawalpindi (PCB Report): UMT Markhors and Nurpur Lions recorded wins by three and 35 runs respectively, in contrasting styles on the sixth day of the Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup at Rawalpindi cricket stadium on Thursday, perching Markhors on top of the five-team table.Markhors scored 170-6 on the back of a rapid 32-ball 39 by opener Fakhar Zaman who shared a solid opening stand of 74 with Khawaja Mohammad Nafay who hit a 30-ball 36. While Fakhar smashed a six and five boundaries, Nafay was more aggressive with three sixes and a boundary.No.3 batter Mohammad Shahzad struck 28 off 25 balls with the help of two sixes and experienced Mohammad Nawaz knocked an unbeaten 13-ball 28 with one four and two sixes to lift the total. Usman Tariq with 2-20 and Tahir Hussain, who returned figures of 2-36 were the pick of Stallions bowlers.ABL Stallions lost Yasir Khan (17, 10b, 2x4s, 1x6) early but Maaz Sadaqat (82, 53b, 10x4s, 2x6s) and Mohammad Haris rescued the innings with a strong 59-run stand off 41 balls for the second wicket. Haris fell after scoring a fiery 16-ball 22 with a six and a four as it was left to Maaz to help the team cross the target. Team mentor Shoaib Malik chipped in with a 21-ball 16 as Stallions slumped from 127-2 in 15 overs to lose four wickets for 15 runs, including the well set Maaz.Stallions needed 19 in the last over but fast bowler Mohammad Imran Jnr conceded 15 to steal the match.This became the third consecutive win for UMT Markhors while ABL Stallions suffered their first defeat after two wins.In the second match, Nurpur Lions scored 194-5 in 20 overs against Engro Dolphins. Their skipper Imam-ul-Haq knocked a brilliant 48-ball 65 and Hasan Nawaz hit 34-ball 50 in a solid 100-run partnership in 11.3 overs. Hasan, smashed three sixes and four boundaries while Imam's knock had seven boundaries and a six.Khushdil Shah, batting at No.5, blasted an unbeaten 22-ball 57 not out with six maximums and two boundaries as Nurpur Lions added a big 64 in the last five overs. Dolphins' Qasim Akram picked up three wickets for 21 runs in his four overs.In reply, Sahibzada Farhan and Mirza Tahir Baig gave Dolphins a robust start of 57 in six overs. Tahir fell for 29 off 16 balls laced with a six and three boundaries. Muhammad Akhlaq fell without scoring. Farhan then added 51 for the third wicket with Umar Amin who made a 19-ball 25 with two fours and a six.But once Farhan fell for 54 off 42 balls including three sixes and as many boundaries the chase fell apart. Skipper Faheem Ashraf tried valiantly with a cameo of 12-ball 27 with two sixes and as many fours but the asking rate soared beyond 15 an over.Fast bowler Musa Khan was the pick of bowlers with 4-23 while Khushdil and Shahid Aziz fetched two wickets apiece. Lions have now won two of their four matches while Dolphins are winless in three outings.Scores in brief (Markhors beat Stallions by 3 runs in Game-7):UMT Markhors 170-6 in 20 overs (Fakhar Zaman 39, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay 36, Mohammad Nawaz 28 not out, Mohammad Shahzad 28; Usman Tariq 2-20, Tahir Hussain 2-36)ABL Stallions 167-6 in 20 overs (Maaz Sadaqat 82, Mohammad Haris 22; Nisar Ahmed 3-23)Player of the match - Nisar Ahmed (UMT Markhors)Game 8 (Nurpur Lions beat Engro Dolphins by 35 runs)Nurpur Lions 194-5 in 20 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 65, Khushdil Shah 57 not out, Hasan Nawaz 50; Qasim Akram 3-21)Engro Dolphins 159 all out in 19.4 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 54, Mirza Tahir Baig 29, Faheem Ashraf 27, Umar Amin 25; Musa Khan 4-23, Khushdil Shah 2-22, Shahid Aziz 2-35)Player of the match -- Khushdil Shah (Nurpur Lions)Today’s fixtures: Allied Bank Stallions vs Engro Dolphins, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (11am)Lake City Panthers vs UMT Markhors, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (3.30pm)