RAWALPINDI: Sta­llions went top of the Champions T20 Cup points table with an impressive 12-run win over Lions here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday.

To win their second match in a row, Stallions were helped to 162-5 in 20 overs by a solid unbeaten 36-ball 51 by Hussain Talat who knocked his maiden T20 hundred in the team’s victory over Panthers on Saturday.

They then restricted Lions to 150-7 in 20 overs.

Shoaib Malik (2-23), Usman Tariq (2-23) and Zaman Khan (2-38) put brakes on the rival batting as Lions continued to wait for a win in the tournament.

Panthers have won one and lost one while Markhors have one win in one and Dolphins have lost their only game.

Chasing 163 for victory, Lions got off to the worst possible start with opening batter Zeeshan Malik dismissed for a three-ball duck.

It brought Imam-ul-Haq and Hasan Nawaz together for a 71-run stand. Imam’s 43 came off 28 balls inclusive of four boundaries and a six while Hasan’s 25-ball 30 were studded with a six and three boundaries.

Rohail Nazir and Mohammad Awais Zafar fell for three each, leaving the Lions in a spot of bother.

With the asking rate soaring, Khushdil Shah and Aamer Yamin came together with 66 needed in 43 deliveries which came down to 26 in 12.

Mohammad Ali conceded just four runs in the penultimate over to almost seal the match.

Zaman Khan, known for his death overs mastery, gave away just nine to give Stallions victory.

Khushdil scored 28 and Aamer made unbeaten 27 off 24 balls with the help of one six.

Hussain was once again the architect of Stallions innings after they were sent into bat by Lions. He cracked five boundaries in his knock, adding an invaluable 88 for the fifth wicket with team mentor-cum-player Shoaib Malik to steady the innings.

Shoaib scored a 30-ball 39 with four boundaries. Mohammad Haris hit the only six of the innings in his 18-ball 25, also hitting two boundaries. Maaz Sadaqat once again showed his promise with a 29-ball 32 including five hits to the rope.

Pacer Musa Khan was the pick of Lions’ bowlers with 2-31.

Scores in brief:

STALLIONS 162-5 in 20 overs (Hussain Talat 51 not out, Shoaib Malik 39, Maaz Sadaqat 32, Mohammad Haris 25; Musa Khan 2-31); LIONS 150-7 in 20 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 43, Hasan Nawaz 30, Khushdil Shah 28, Aamer Yamin 27; Shoaib Malik 2-23, Usman Tariq 2-23, Zaman Khan 2-38).

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2024