RAWALPINDI: Mohammad Wasim Jr and Abdul Wahid Bangalzai starred as Panthers thrashed Dolphins by six wickets in their Champions T20 Cup here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday.

Wasim impeded Dolphins’ sailing with figures of 3-28 in his four incisive overs and was ably supported by spinner Arafat Minhas (2-11) and all-rounder Amad Butt (2-12) to keep their opponents down to 106-9 in 20 overs.

The win helped Panthers get to six points in as many games with three wins and as many defeats while Dolphins sunk to fifth defeat in as many matches.

Losing opener Sahibzada Farhan off the third ball of the innings to fast-rising pacer Ali Raza jolted the Dolphins from which they could never recover. Mirza Tahir Baig hit a rapid 13-ball 19 with a six and two boundaries but Wasim dislodged him in the sixth over.

Mohammad Huraira fell for a three-ball duck and Umar Amin managed just four. It was left to skipper Faheem Ashraf (25), Mohammad Akhlaq (19) and Qasim Akram (14) to get the team past the 100-run mark. Faheem’s 34-ball fight had one boundary and a six.

Dolphins pacer Sameen Gul dismissed Umar Siddiq for five and Shadab Khan without scoring to leave the chase in tatters at 2-9. It became 3-14 when Ihsanullah accounted for Mubasir Khan, who returned for a four-ball duck.

But Bangalzai and Danish Aziz set the chase back on track with a solid 82-run stand for the fourth wicket. Bangalzai’s 38-ball 51 had two sixes and six boundaries. Danish hit a 34-ball 38 not out with three boundaries and a six as the chase was completed in 15 overs.

Scores in brief:

DOLPHINS 106-9 in 20 overs (Faheem Ashraf 25, Mirza Tahir Baig 19, Mohammad Akhlaq 19; Mohammad Wasim Jnr 3-28, Arafat Minhas 2-11, Amad Butt 2-12); PANTHERS 109-4 in15 overs (Abdul Wahid Bangalzai 51, Danish Aziz 38 not out; Sameen Gul 2-16, Ihsanullah 2-27).

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2024