Kamran Ghulam’s Brilliant Second Century Powers Markhors to 3rd Straight Win
Kamran Ghulam’s Brilliant Second Century Powers Markhors to 3rd Straight Win: A brilliant century from Kamran Ghulam, combined with Salman Ali Agha’s all-round brilliance and a vital half-century from skipper Mohammad Rizwan, powered Markhors to a comprehensive 92-run win over Dolphins in the sixth match of the Champions One-Day Cup at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, on Wednesday.
With this victory, the Markhors maintained their perfect record, winning all three of their matches and cementing their place at the top of the points table. In contrast, the Dolphins have yet to taste victory, languishing at the bottom after two defeats. Their next challenge will be against Stallions in a crucial match tomorrow at 3 PM.
Markhors, after being asked to bat first, posted a challenging total of 284-9 in their allotted 50 overs. Kamran Ghulam, continuing his sublime form, smashed his second century of the tournament, amassing 113 runs off 110 balls. His knock, laced with 12 boundaries and three sixes, made him the tournament’s leading scorer with 239 runs.
Kamran’s innings was well-supported by Mohammad Rizwan, who scored a crucial 51 off 67 balls, including three boundaries and a six. The pair put on a vital 122-run partnership for the third wicket, stabilizing the innings after an early wobble.
After Rizwan’s departure in the 27th over, Salman Ali Agha (49 off 47 balls) combined with Kamran for a 71-run stand for the fourth wicket, keeping the momentum going. Muhammad Imran’s quickfire 27 off 25 balls, featuring two massive sixes, helped the Markhors push past the 250-run mark before Zahid Mehmood finished unbeaten on 15.
For Dolphins, Faheem Ashraf was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 4-50, while Mir Hamza took 2-26. Usman Qadir and Sameen Gul chipped in with a wicket each.
In reply, Dolphins struggled from the outset, losing early wickets and never recovering in their pursuit of 285. They were reduced to 13-2 and then 99-5 as Salman Ali Agha struck, dismissing Saud Shakeel (41 off 56 balls), who top-edged to short fine leg.
Although Asif Ali fought valiantly with a quickfire 50 off 43 balls, featuring three boundaries and three sixes, his effort proved insufficient. The Dolphins were eventually bowled out for 192 in 43.5 overs.
Salman Ali Agha’s impact was felt with the ball as well, as he returned with figures of 3-34 in his 10 overs. Muhammad Imran also played a key role, taking 3-28 in a crucial spell, which saw the Dolphins slide from 135-5 to 161-8, effectively sealing the result in Markhors’ favor.
Scores in brief:
- Markhors: 284-9 in 50 overs (Kamran Ghulam 113, Mohammad Rizwan 51, Salman Ali Agha 49, Muhammad Imran 27; Faheem Ashraf 4-50, Mir Hamza 2-26)
- Dolphins: 192 all out in 43.5 overs (Asif Ali 50, Saud Shakeel 41, Sahibzada Farhan 24; Muhammad Imran 3-28, Salman Ali Agha 3-34)
Player of the Match: Kamran Ghulam (Markhors)
