12 hours Ago By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE - A scintillating century by opener Yasir Ali and a masterful bowling performance from Mohammad Ali led ABL Stallions to a resounding 75-run victory over UMT Markhors in the final of the Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday evening. Yasir dazzled with a 57-ball 100, featuring seven sixes and five boundaries, as Stallions set an imposing 199-5 in their 20 overs. Mohammad Ali then wreaked havoc with the ball, claiming 3-19 to bundle out Markhors for just 124 in 19.
1 overs. The victory added another prestigious title to Stallions’ illustrious T20 history, while UMT Markhors suffered their second final heartbreak this year, following their loss in the Champions Cup one-day final in Faisalabad. Chasing a target of 200, the Markhors’ innings never gained momentum as wickets fell at regular intervals.
Star batter Fakhar Zaman, who smashed an 89 in the Qualifiers, could manage only 20 this time before falling to Jahandad Khan (2-31). Spinner Usman Tariq tightened the noose further with a brilliant spell of 2-10 in four overs. While Mohammad Faizan provided some resistance with a 33-ball 43, including three sixes and three fours, and skipper Iftikhar Ahmed chipped in with a 21-ball 22, the rest of the batting lineup failed to deliver.
Promising players Abdul Samad and Saad Masood departed without troubling the scorers, highlighting their team’s below-par performance. Earlier, Stallions, opted to bat, and Yasir Ali set the tone for a commanding total. Partnered with Maaz Sadaqat, Yasir showcased his aggressive intent from the outset.
Despite losing Maaz early, Yasir found support in skipper M Haris (21 off 15 balls) to steady the innings. A dropped catch on 12 by Akif Javed off Nisar Ahmed proved costly for Markhors, as Yasir capitalized on the reprieve, smashing his way to a 33-ball half-century. He accelerated in the later stages, reaching his second T20 century in just 56 balls before falling to Mohammad Faizan.
Jahandad Khan provided a late flourish, scoring an unbeaten 22 off 10 balls, including two sixes, to take the total to an imposing 199-5.Mohammad Ali’s 3-19 earned him the top bowler accolade, finishing the event with 22 wickets. Scores in Brief ABL STALLIONS 199-5 in 20 overs (Yasir Ali 100, Jahandad Khan 22*, Mohammad Haris 21; Akif Javed 2-32) beat UMT MARKHORS 124 all out in 19.
1 overs (M Faizan 43, Iftikhar Ahmed 22; Mohammad Ali 3-19, Usman Tariq 2-10, Jahandad Khan 2-31) by 75 runs..
