LAHORE - Allied Bank Stallions secured a commanding 133-run victory over Noorpur Lions, thanks to crucial half-centuries by Babar Azam, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Haris, and Hussain Talat, in the second match of the Bahria Town Champions One-Day Cup at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad on Friday.
After winning the toss, Stallions’ captain Mohammad Haris opted to bat first. The team posted an imposing total of 336/5 in their allotted 50 overs. Noorpur Lions, in response, were bowled out for 203 runs in 39.3 overs. Babar Azam top-scored for the Stallions with 76 runs off 79 balls, hitting nine boundaries before being dismissed by Shaheen Afridi. He built a solid 114-run partnership for the third wicket with Tayyab Tahir, who contributed 74 runs, including two sixes and seven fours.
Captain Mohammad Haris played a quickfire innings, scoring 55 runs off 36 balls, smashing four sixes and four boundaries. He added 88 runs for the fifth wicket with Hussain Talat, who remained unbeaten with a 50-run knock, which featured six fours and a six. Shan Masood chipped in with 41 runs. For Noorpur Lions, Aamir Jamal and Shaheen Afridi both claimed two wickets, conceding 60 and 63 runs respectively.
Lions struggled early in their innings, losing three wickets for just 22 runs. Sajjad Ali Hashmi (0), Abdullah Shafique (9), and Umair Bin Yousuf (2) all fell cheaply. Imam-ul-Haq and Sharoon Siraj attempted to rebuild, adding 50 runs for the fourth wicket, but Siraj was dismissed for 28. Imam-ul-Haq fought valiantly, scoring 78 off 83 balls with one six and six boundaries, but his efforts were in vain as the Lions were bowled out for 203.
Haris Rauf was the standout bowler for the Stallions, taking 3 wickets for 43 runs, while Mohammad Ali and Jehandad Khan both took two wickets each.
The third match of the tournament will be played on Saturday between Dolphins and Lake City Panthers.
Gary Kirsten arrives to monitor players in Champions One-Day Cup
Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten on Friday arrived in Lahore to monitor the performance of the players ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Kirsten will be in attendance during the matches of Champions One-Day Cup scheduled at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. The head coach has been assigned to build a strong squad by picking good players for the upcoming Champions Trophy — beginning from February 2025.
Scores in Brief
STALLIONS 336/5 in 50 overs (Babar Azam 76, Tayyab Tahir 74, Mohammad Haris 55, Hussain Talat 50*, Shaheen Afridi 2/63, Aamir Jamal 2/60) beat LIONS 203 all out in 39.3 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 78, Haris Rauf 3/43, Mohammad Ali 2/37, Jehandad Khan 2/42) by 133 runs.
