Champions T20 Cup: Panthers beat Dolphins by six wickets

Panthers secured their third victory in the Champions T20 Cup, defeating Dolphins by six wickets in a match played on Monday at the Pindi Cricket Stadium. This marked the fifth consecutive defeat for the Dolphins.  

Winning the toss, the Panthers elected to field first, restricting the Dolphins to a modest 106 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their 20 overs. The Panthers chased down the target comfortably in 15 overs with six wickets in hand.  

The Dolphins faced early setbacks as Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for a duck in the first over by Ali Raza. In the next over, Imad Butt removed Muhammad Haris for 0 and Umar Amin for just 4 runs. Wasim Jr. struck in his first over, dismissing Mirza Tahir Baig, who scored 19 runs. With 4 wickets down for just 31 runs, the Dolphins struggled to build momentum.  

Captain Faheem Ashraf top-scored with 25 runs, while Muhammad Ikhlaq contributed 19, and Qasim Akram added 14 runs. Wasim Jr. was the standout bowler for the Panthers, claiming 3 wickets for 28 runs. Imad Butt and Arfat Minhas supported well, taking 2 wickets each.  

In reply, the Panthers also stumbled early, losing three wickets for just 14 runs. Umar Siddiq managed only 5 runs, while Mubasir Khan and captain Shadab Khan were dismissed for ducks. However, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai played a match-winning knock of 51 runs off 35 balls, including six fours and two sixes. He formed a crucial 82-run partnership with Danish Aziz for the fourth wicket.  

Danish Aziz remained unbeaten with 38 runs, which included three fours and a six, while Arfat Minhas added 11 not out with two boundaries. For the Dolphins, Ehsanullah and Sameen Gul took 2 wickets each.  

Abdul Wahid Bangalzai was named Player of the Match for his exceptional innings.