In a thrilling encounter at the Champions Cup, Panthers emerged victorious over Stallions by a margin of 20 runs, continuing the trend of teams batting first and securing wins.
Panthers, after winning the toss, opted to bat first and amassed a formidable total of 344 for 7. Saim Ayub was the star performer, smashing a magnificent 156 off 130 deliveries, including 13 boundaries and seven towering sixes. Azan Awais provided valuable support, contributing 63 runs in a 138-run opening partnership with Ayub.
Usman Khan joined Ayub at the crease and the duo unleashed a flurry of boundaries, adding 116 runs in just 79 balls. Usman departed for 75 off 47 deliveries, but Ayub continued his onslaught, guiding Panthers past the 300-run mark in the 44th over. However, Panthers lost wickets in quick succession towards the end, managing only 30 runs in the final five overs.
Stallions’ chase got off to a shaky start as they lost three key wickets within the first seven overs. Mohammad Haris, Shan Masood, and Babar Azam all departed cheaply, leaving Stallions in a precarious position.
Hussain Talat and Tayyab Tahir steadied the innings with a 157-run partnership for the fourth wicket, keeping Stallions in the contest. However, the required run rate continued to climb, and when Mubasir Khan dismissed Talat for 63 in the 35th over, the asking rate had reached nearly ten runs per over.
Tahir reached his century in the 39th over but was dismissed shortly after. With 73 runs needed in the final four overs and only two wickets remaining, Zaman Khan threatened to pull off a remarkable victory. He smashed 42 runs off just 16 deliveries, but Stallions ultimately fell short by 20 runs.
