A sensational century from opener Yasir Ali and an outstanding bowling performance by Mohammad Ali propelled the Stallions to a commanding 75-run victory over the Markhors in the final of the Champions T20 Cup 2024 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday evening.

By PakPassion Staff (25-12-2024)

Yasir lit up the game with a breathtaking 57-ball 100, featuring seven towering sixes and five boundaries, steering his side to an imposing 199-5 in 20 overs. Mohammad Ali then delivered with the ball, taking 3-19 to bundle out the Markhors for 124 in 19.1 overs.

With this victory, the Stallions added another trophy to their cabinet in Pakistan’s T20 history, while the Markhors suffered their second final defeat of the year, having previously fallen short in the Champions Cup one-day final earlier this season.

Chasing a formidable 200-run target, the Markhors stumbled as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Their hopes rested on Fakhar Zaman, who had shone with a blistering 89 in the Qualifiers, but he managed only 20 runs before being dismissed by Jahandad Khan, who took 2-31. Spinner Usman Tariq tightened the screws further with a superb spell of 2-10 in four overs.

Mohammad Faizan played a lone hand, striking three sixes and as many fours in his 33-ball 43, while skipper Iftikhar Ahmed contributed 22 off 21 balls. Promising talents Abdul Samad and Saad Masood failed to make an impact, summing up the team’s underwhelming batting display.

Earlier, Yasir Ali stole the show during the Stallions’ innings after the team opted to bat first. His explosive start, aided by Maaz Sadaqat’s six off the first ball of the match, set the tone. Despite losing Maaz early, Yasir showcased his intent, smashing two maximums early on. A missed catch by Akif Javed when Yasir was on 12 proved costly, as the batter capitalized with a stunning display.

Yasir built a 41-run partnership with skipper Mohammad Haris, who contributed a quick 15-ball 21 with two sixes. Hussain Talat managed just nine runs, while Tayyab Tahir added 17. Yasir reached his fifty off 33 balls with a six and accelerated further, blasting two sixes to reach his second T20 century off 56 balls before falling to Mohammad Faizan.

Jahandad Khan added a late flourish with two sixes and a boundary in a quick-fire 22 not out off 10 balls, taking the total to a challenging 199-5.

With his 22 wickets, Mohammad Ali finished as the tournament’s leading bowler and played a pivotal role in his team’s success, cementing his place as a standout performer of the competition.