Champions One-Day Cup: Dolphins beat Lions by 16 runs in close game

The Dolphins secured a thrilling 16-run victory over the Lions in the 10th match of the Champions One-Day Cup at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad. Despite a strong chase, the Shaheen Shah Afridi-led Lions fell short of the 327-run target, finishing at 310/8 in their allotted 50 overs.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, the Dolphins put up a competitive total of 326 runs. Umar Amin led the charge with a solid 75 off 81 balls, while wicketkeeper Muhammad Akhlaq added a valuable 52 off 50 deliveries. Opener Mohammad Huraira also contributed with 47 off 41 balls. Down the order, Qasim Akram chipped in with a quick 31 off 26 balls, and Faheem Ashraf's entertaining 30 off 20 deliveries gave the Dolphins a strong finish.

The Lions’ bowlers, led by Aamir Jamal who took three wickets, did their best to contain the Dolphins. Shaheen Afridi and Ahmed Daniyal picked up two wickets each, while Khushdil Shah and Sharoon Siraj took one wicket apiece.

In response, the Lions’ chase started well but lost momentum. Rohail Nazir and Mohammad Taha were the only batters to make significant contributions, scoring 62 off 70 and 40 off 49 balls, respectively. Abdullah Shafique (27 off 42), Omair Yousuf (26 off 27), and Sharoon Siraj (25 off 18) also tried to build partnerships but couldn’t keep up with the required run rate.

Towards the end, Khushdil Shah (60) and Shaheen Afridi (33) provided some hope with a late flurry of runs, but their efforts weren’t enough to take the Lions over the line.

Dolphins’ bowlers put up a balanced performance, with captain Saud Shakeel and Abbas Afridi taking two wickets each. Mir Hamza, Sufiyan Muqeem, Faheem Ashraf, and Qasim Akram all chipped in with one wicket each to restrict the Lions to 310.

With this victory, the Dolphins showed their strength in the Champions One-Day Cup, leaving the Lions to reflect on their missed opportunities in the chase.