Champions Cup Archives

Aleem Dar set to draw curtains on legendary umpiring career

Legendary Pakistan-based umpire Aleem Dar is set to draw curtains on a glittering career with the conclusion of the Champions One-Day Cup, underway at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium until September 29.

Dar stepped down from the International Cricket Council (ICC) Elite Panel of Umpires after 19 years but remained involved in domestic matches and international matches within Pakistan.

But the ongoing domestic season will mark the end of his umpiring career and Dar will then turn his entire focus towards his thalassemia hospital.

The announcement was made by commentator Tariq Saeed during the Champions One-Day Cup.

Dar, who had been a part of the Elite Panel since its inception in 2002, officiated more Tests and ODIs than any other umpire and is second in T20Is, behind compatriot Ahsan Raza.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Aleem Dar officiated a record 448 international matches, including 145 Tests, 231 ODIs, and 72 T20Is.

“It has been a long journey, but I have enjoyed every bit of it. I have had the pleasure and honour of umpiring the world over and what I have achieved is something I did not even dream of when I started in the profession,” said Dar.

“Though I am still keen to continue as an international umpire, I felt it was now the right time, after 19 years on the road to step away from the Elite panel and provide an opportunity to someone from the International Panel. My message to umpires the world over is to work hard, maintain discipline and never stop learning.

“I thank the ICC, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and my colleagues on the panel for their support over the years. I would also like to thank my family; without whose support I could not have gone on for so long. I look forward to continuing to serve the game as an umpire.”

READ: Aamir Jamal returns as Pakistan unveil squad for first England Test

Saud Shakeel slams umpiring after Dolphins’ early exit from Champions Cup

FAISALABAD: Dolphins’ captain Saud Shakeel asserted some umpiring decisions and the toss factor played a major role in their premature exit from the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup.

Saud’s Dolphins was the only team left out of the playoffs as they finished last after the group-stage matches of the five-team tournament, managing just 12 points in four games.

The middle-order batter while speaking to a local news channel reflected on his team’s performance in the Champions Cup, suggesting that they struggled in all three departments.

“We didn’t play the way we wanted to in any of the three aspects—batting, bowling, or fielding. But winning and losing is part of the game, and it’s important to learn from our mistakes,” Saud said.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Saud Shakeel further claimed that toss played a significant role in their ouster from the tournament before mentioning that some of the umpiring decisions also dented their campaign.

“The toss was crucial. In all three matches, we ended up bowling first, which didn’t work in our favour. Additionally, some umpiring decisions went against us, which impacted our performance,” he explained.

The left-handed batter then went on to reveal that the Dolphins had a strict focus on physical fitness ahead of the Champions Cup and also that all of their players had passed the fitness test but suggested that the players need to work on their physical conditioning.

“Perhaps the heat affected our energy levels. As professional players, we need to improve wherever we see room for it,” he added.

“The true test of a cricketer lies in long-format cricket, but anyone with solid first-class experience can excel in any format,” Saud concluded.

READ: Saim, Hasnain wreak havoc as Panthers book Markhors on 137

Saim-inspired Panthers storm into Champions Cup final as Markhors falter

FAISALABAD: Saim Ayub backed his five-wicket haul with a brisk knock up the order and propelled Panthers to a crushing seven-wicket victory over Markhors in the Qualifier 1 of the Champions One-Day Cup here at Iqbal Stadium on Tuesday.

The crushing victory powered Shadab Khan-led Panthers into the Champions One-Day Cup final while Mohammad Rizwan’s Markhors will face the winning team of the Eliminator between Stallions and Lions, scheduled on Wednesday.

Chasing a modest total, the Panthers knocked the winning runs in style when Usman Khan smashed Kamran Ghulam for a six on the fourth delivery of the 24th over and also brought up his half-century in just 26 balls.

The Panthers got off to an unwanted start to the pursuit as they lost young opener Azan Awais (13) in the sixth over with just 21 runs on the board.

Following the early hiccup, Saim Ayub forged an anchoring 50-run partnership with Umar Siddiq and put the Panthers halfway through.

The in-form opener finally perished in the 16th over, falling victim to Zahid Mahmood after scoring a 36-ball 33 with the help of six boundaries.

Siddiq followed suit just three overs later as he fell victim to Salman Ali Agha in the 19th over after scoring 35 off 52 deliveries.

Wicketkeeper batter Usman Khan then forged a one-sided partnership with Rizwan Mehmood and steered Panthers to a crushing victory.

Usman smashed five fours and four sixes on his way to top score for Panthers with a 26-ball 54 while Rizwan made five not out.

For Markhors, Akif Javed, Agha and Zahid could pick one wicket apiece.

Markhors’ captain Mohammad Rizwan’s decision to bat first backfired as their batters skittled against a disciplined Panthers’ bowling attack and could accumulate 137 runs before being bundled out in 37 overs.

Young pacer Ali Raza gave Panthers a head start with the ball as he got Haseebullah (3) caught behind on the second delivery of the second over.

In-form Mohammad Hasnain then capitalized on the start provided by Raza and struck thrice in quick succession to leave Markhors reeling at 25/4 in 6.5 overs.

Following the early debacle, Iftikhar Ahmed and Salman Ali Agha launched a recovery with a cautious fifth-wicket partnership.

The duo had settled down, having scored 67 runs for the fifth wicket but had a disappointing end to their stand as Iftikhar was run out.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Iftikhar scored 39 off 61 balls, hitting three fours and a six.

Saim Ayub then ran through Markhors’ lower middle order with a five-wicket haul. The table-toppers lost their remaining five wickets for just 35 runs and were eventually bundled out in 37 overs.

Salman Ali Agha remained the top-scorer for Markhors with a gutsy half-century, scoring 52 off 81 deliveries, laced up with four fours and a six.

Saim Ayub was the standout bowler for the Panthers, returning brilliant figures of 5/24, followed by Hasnain’s 3/25 while Raza made one scalp.

It is worth mentioning that Mohammad Haris’ Stallions will lock horns with Shaheen Afridi’s Lions in the Eliminator of the Champions One-Day Cup on Wednesday at the same venue.

READ: ICC reveals all-female panel of match officials for Women’s T20 World Cup

Markhors win toss, elect to bat against Panthers in Champions Cup Qualifier

FAISALABAD: The Markhors have won the toss and decided to bat first against the Panthers in the Champions One-Day Cup Qualifier here at Iqbal Stadium on Tuesday.

PLAYING XIs

Markhors: Haseebullah Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan (c), Abdul Samad, Salman Agha, Akif Javed, Naseem Shah, Zahid Mahmood, Shahnawaz Dahani

Panthers: Saim Ayub, Azan Awais, Usman Khan, Shadab Khan (c), Haider Ali, Amad Butt, Arafat Minhas, Rizwan Mehmood, Umar Siddiq, Ali Raza, Mohammad Hasnain

READ: ICC reveals all-female panel of match officials for Women’s T20 World Cup

PCB charges Lions for slow over-rate in Champions Cup

Shaheen Afridi-led Lions have been fined for slow over-rate in their Sunday fixture against the Dolphins during the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup.

The Lions lost the game by 16 runs but still qualified for the playoff stage on Sunday night, at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.

“The Lions have been fined for slow over-rate in their 22 September game of Champions One-Day Cup against the Engro Dolphins,” the PCB’s press release stated.

“The charges were levelled by the on-field umpires Faisal Aafreedi and Imtiaz Iqbal as the Lions were found to be one over short of the stipulated time.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“All the eleven playing members of the Shaheen Shah Afridi-led team have been fined five per cent of their match fees as per article 2.22 of the PCB Code of Conduct for Players and Players Support Personnel, which deals with over-rate offences.”

Notably, Lions’ all-rounder Khushdil Shah scored a blistering half-century, however, Abbas Afridi held on to his nerves to steer the Dolphins to a thrilling last-over victory.

In this crucial game, chasing 327 runs, the Lions needed to score 260 or more in order to qualify for the playoff stage, which they did in the 47th over but fell 16 runs short as they finished 310-8 in 50 overs.

The Lions will face the Stallions in Wednesday’s eliminator, meanwhile, Tuesday’s Qualifier will be played between the Markhors and the Panthers.

READ: Iftikhar Ahmed acknowledges need for Pakistan to adopt attacking mindset

Khushdil Shah’s blitz in vain as Dolphins edge Lions in a last-over thriller

FAISALABAD: Khushdil Shah’s blistering half-century went in vain as Abbas Afridi held on to his nerves to steer Dolphins to a thrilling last-over victory over Lions in the 10th match of the Champions One-Day Cup here at Iqbal Stadium on Sunday.

While defending 326, Dolphins restricted Lions to 310-8 to claim their first victory in the Champions One-Day Cup.

Lions started the chase with a solid opening partnership of 78 runs between Abdullah Shafique (27) and Rohail Nazir, who was playing his first match of the tournament.

Sufiyan Muqeem provided the first breakthrough with the wicket of Abdullah, bringing Omair Bin Yousuf to the crease.

Rohail and Omair put together 50 runs for the second wicket before Dolphins’ skipper Saud Shakeel removed both batters in consecutive overs.

Rohail top-scored for Lions with a 62-run knock from 70 balls, which featured six boundaries and one six, while Omair scored 26 off 27.

Mohammad Taha then scored a 49-ball knock of 40 runs to keep the scoreboard moving, however, he could not find support from the other end, which resulted in climbing the required rate.

Qasim Akram castled Taha after which Lions’ captain Shaheen Afridi joined Khushdil Shah on the crease with 114 runs required from 12 overs.

Shaheen got retired hurt after scoring 6 off 9, but he returned to bat after Faheem Ashraf removed Aamir Jamal (4).

Lions needed 81 runs from the last six overs, which soon became 81 needed off five overs, courtesy of Faheem’s wicket-maiden over.

However, Khushdil and Shaheen turned the match on its head with their belligerent hitting in the death overs, striking sixes at regular intervals.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Khushdil hit three sixes off Abbas Afridi in the 48th over to complete his half-century in 33 balls. However, Abbas’ last over sealed the game for Dolphins as Lions failed to score 23 runs from that over.

Khushdil departed on the penultimate ball after scoring 60 off 40 with the help of fix sixes and four boundaries. Meanwhile, Shaheen remained unbeaten at 33 off 28 which featured five sixes.

For Dolphins, Saud Shakeel and Abbas Afridi claimed two wickets each, while Mir Hamza, Faheem Ashraf, Qasiim Akram and Sufiyan Muqeem bagged one wicket each.

Earlier, Dolphins opted to bat first but lost Sahibzada Farhan early with a meagre 35 runs on the board before Muhammad Hurraira and Muhammad Akhlaq helped the team recover with their brisk strokeplay.

Hurraira (47 off 41) and Akhlaq put together a 77-run stand for the second wicket in 61 balls to push Dolphins total to 112 in the 16th over before Ahmed Daniyal removed the former.

Meanwhile, Aamir Jamal removed Akhlaq to force Lions’ comeback in the game. Akhlaq played a quick innings of 52 runs from 50 balls with three boundaries and four sixes.

Captain Saud Shakeel then played a run-a-ball knock of 23 runs during a partnership of 53 runs with Umar Amin.

Shaheen Afridi removed new batter Asif Ali (7), bringing Qasim Akram (31 off 26) to the crease, who put together a 62-run stand with Umar Amin.

Ahmed Daniyal ended Qasim’s knock before Khushdil Shah removed Dolphins’ top-scorer Umar Amin, who scored 75 runs from 81 balls with the help of nine fours.

Faheem Ashraf then played a quick knock of 30 runs from 20 balls before Lions bundled Dolphins for 326 runs in the last over.

Aamir Jamal led the bowling attack with three wickets, while Ahmed Daniyal and Shaheen Afridi bagged two wickets each.

READ: PCB to host Connection Camp tomorrow to map out Pakistan cricket’s future

Saim, bowlers propel Panthers to thump Stallions in Champions Cup

FAISALABAD: Tayyab Tahir’s anchoring century failed to trump Saim Ayub’s marathon 156-run knock as Panthers edged Stallions by 20 runs in the ninth match of the Champions One-Day Cup here at Iqbal Stadium on Saturday.

The narrow victory lifted Panthers to replace Stallions at the second in the Champions One-Day Cup standings with 34 points in four matches, closely followed by the Stallions with 28 points in as many matches.

Chasing a daunting 345-run target, the Dolphins managed 324 all out despite a fighting fourth-wicket partnership between Tahir and Hussain Talat.

The Stallions ran into trouble within the first seven overs as they lost three wickets including star batter Babar Azam (5) with just 37 runs on the board.

Following the early debacle, Talat and Tahir launched an astounding recovery with their 157-run partnership, during which both scored half-centuries.

The duo had pulled Stallions out of trouble but the mounting required run rate took a toll on Talat, who fell victim to Mubasir Khan in the 35th over.

He remained a notable run-getter for the Stallions with a gutsy 63 off 72 balls, hitting three boundaries and a six.

Tahir was then involved in a brief fifth-wicket partnership with Adil Amin before finally perishing in the 41st over, minutes after amassing his century.

He remained the top-scorer for the Stallions with 109 off 120 deliveries, laced up with a dozen boundaries including four sixes.

The Stallions then lost wickets at regular intervals and even a quickfire cameo by Zaman Khan could not steer them to victory as they fell just 20 runs short.

Zaman smashed one four and six sixes on his way to a 16-ball 42.

Mubasir Khan was the pick of the bowlers for the Dolphins, taking three wickets, while Ali Raza and Mohammad Hasnain claimed two each. Amad Butt and Arafat Minhas shared two wickets between them.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Stand-in Panthers’ captain Ayub’s decision to bat first after winning the coin toss bore fruits as his side piled up a massive total on the board.

The Panthers had a dream start to their innings as Ayub and Azan Awais registered an anchoring 138-run stand, which saw both of them scoring half-centuries.

The openers batted half of the allotted overs and their monumental stand was finally broken on the fourth delivery of the sixth over by Abrar Ahmed, who got rid of Awais.

The opening batter scored a cautious 51 off 77 deliveries with the help of four boundaries and a six.

Wicketkeeper batter Usman Khan then joined Ayub in the middle and they partnered strongly to bolster the Panthers’ total with a brisk 106-run stand, conceding just 79 balls.

Usman, who was the core aggressor of the game-changing stand, had an agonizing end to his blistering knock as he was stumped off Zaman Khan just 25 away from his well-deserved century.

He smashed eight fours and two sixes amid his 47-ball knock.

Saim Ayub then put on one-sided partnerships with Mubasir Khan (18) and Haider Ali (8) before finally perishing in the 46th over.

He remained the top-scorer for the Panthers with a magnificent 156 off just 130 balls, laced up with 20 boundaries including seven sixes.

Following his departure, the Panthers lost wickets at an alarming rate and the lower-middle order made modest contributions at the backend.

Zaman Khan was the standout bowler for the Stallions as he picked up four wickets while Jahandad Khan and Abrar Ahmed shared two wickets between them.

It is worth mentioning here that the last group-stage fixture of the Champions One-Day Cup between Dolphins and Lions will be played at the same venue on Sunday.

READ: ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 schedule unveiled

Champions Cup: Panthers win toss, elect to bat against Stallions

FAISALABAD: Panthers have won the toss and decided to bat first against Stallions in the ninth match of the Champions One-Day Cup here at Iqbal Stadium on Saturday.

PLAYING XIs

Panthers: Saim Ayub, Azan Awais, Umar Siddiq, Usman Khan, Mubasir Khan, Haider Ali, Rizwan Mehmood, Amad Butt, Arafat Minhas, Ali Raza, Mohammad Hasnain.

Stallions: Shan Masood, Adil Amin, Babar Azam, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Haris, Hussain Talat, Jahandad Khan, Mehran Mumtaz, Zaman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Ali.

WATCH: Imad Wasim’s dismissal creates chaos in CPL 2024

Irfan’s ton hands Markhors first loss as Lions prevail in high-scoring contest

FAISALABAD: Irfan Khan Niazi’s swashbuckling century remained in the spotlight as the Lions registered a 35-run victory over leaders Markhors in the eighth match of the Champions One-Day Cup here at Iqbal Stadium on Friday.

Chasing a daunting 368-run target, the Markhors could accumulate 332/9 in the allotted 50 overs despite brisk half-centuries by Fakhar Zaman and Salman Ali Agha.

Openers Bismillah Khan and Fakhar gave the Markhors a flamboyant start with an 88-run partnership.

The opening stand was majorly dominated by Fakhar while Bismillah (20) rotated the strike until he fell victim to Ahmed Daniyal in the 12th over.

With Bismillah’s dismissal, the Markhors began to lose wickets at regular intervals including their set batter Fakhar, who remained the top-scorer with a 72-ball 82 with the help of eight fours and four sixes.

The Markhors were in a state of bother as they were 192/5 in 32.1 overs, needing a further 176 runs.

All-rounder Salman Ali Agha kept Markhors in the hunt with belligerent hitting. He put together important partnerships with Abdul Samad (42) and Mohammad Imran (19).

Agha had steered Markhors in touching distance with a quickfire half-century but skipper Shaheen Afridi struck gold for the Lions by getting rid of him in the 46th over.

Salman Ali Agha remained a notable run-getter for the Markhors with a 39-ball 69 with the help of seven fours and four sixes.

The Lions’ bowling attack then kept the Markhors’ tail at bay and reduced the Champions One-Day Cup’s top-placed side to 332/9.

For the Lions, Shaheen, Aamer Yamin and Ahmed Daniyal took two wickets each.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Lions’ captain Shaheen Shah Afridi’s decision to bat first bore fruits as his side registered the highest total of the tournament’s history thus far.

The Lions had a commanding start to their innings with their openers Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique scoring half-centuries.

The opening pair added 110 runs to the total until both fell victim to Zahid Mahmood, who struck in his successive overs to reduce the Lions to 117/2 in the 22nd over.

Imam smashed seven boundaries on his way to a 56-ball 51 while Abdullah made 52 off 64 balls with the help of four boundaries including two sixes.

Following their dismissals, Omair Bin Yousuf and Mohammad Taha anchored the Lions’ innings in the middle with a 56-run partnership for the third wicket.

The duo, however, fell in quick succession, leaving the Lions reeling at 181/4 in 33.3 overs. Omair made a 33-ball 30 while Taha scored 31 in 37 balls.

Irfan Khan then joined forces with hard-hitting batter Khushdil Shah to turn the tide in the Lions’ favour.

The pair dominated the Markhors’ bowlers amid their match-defining 147-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Irfan was the core aggressor of the crucial stand while Khushdil anchored his way through. The left-handed batter finally perished in the 47th over after a magnificent 73 off just 45 balls, laced up with four fours and five sixes.

Meanwhile, Irfan Khan continued his baton charge and brought up his well-deserved century in just 56 balls on the fourth delivery of the final over.

He remained the top-scorer for the Lions with a 56-ball 100, which featured 10 fours and five sixes.

Zahid Mahmood bagged two wickets for the Markhors while Mohammad Imran and Iftikhar Ahmed made one scalp each.

It is pertinent to mention that Markhors are at the summit of the Champions One-Day Cup standings with 37 points in three matches while the Lions are fourth with one point in two matches.

READ: Mohammad Abbas offers valuable advice to Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah

Champions Cup: Lions win toss, elect to bat against Markhors

FAISALABAD: Lions have won the toss and opted to bat first against Markhors in the eighth match of the Champions One-Day Cup here at Iqbal Stadium on Friday.

It is worth noting that Mohammad Rizwan-led Markhors are undefeated in the tournament so far, winning their three games in a dominant manner.

On the other hand, Shaheen Afridi’s Lions are yet to win a game, having lost their two games.

PLAYING XIs

Lions: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Sajjad Ali, Omair Yousuf, Irfan Khan, Khushdil Shah, Aamer Yamin, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Taha, Ahmed Daniyal

Markhors: Bismillah Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan (c), Salman Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Abdul Samad, Mohammad Imran, Zahid Mahmood, Shahnawaz Dahani, Mohammad Imran

READ: Babar Azam achieves major milestone with Champions Cup century