Markhors sink Dolphins to gain top position

RAWALPINDI: UMT Markhors sank Engro Dolphins handing them their sixth successive defeat and with it a certain place at the bottom of the table.

Khawaja Mohammad Nafay and Fakhar Zaman smashed belligerent half centuries to help UMT Markhors rout a hapless Engro Dolphins by eight wickets, going top of the five-team table in the Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

Nafay cracked three sixes and seven boundaries in his unbeaten 44-ball 66 while Fakhar knocked his first fifty of the event with a 34-ball 53 with a six and eight boundaries to help UMT Markhors chase down a modest 140-run target in 14.1 overs.

The swashbuckling openers gave a sound 113-run partnership start that gave no chance to Dolphins for whom spinner Shayan Sheikh took 2-16. The win lifted UMT Markhors to the top of the table with 10 points from six games. ABL Stallions are second with eight points in six games. Nurpur Lions are third with six points while Lake City Panthers are a rung behind with six points but inferior net run-rate. Engro Dolphins have lost all their six matches and are out of the race for the 25 December final.

Sent into bat, Engro Dolphins were once again let down by their batting. Opener Mirza Tahir Baig fell for two and Sahibzada Farhan for three, leaving the Dolphins struggling at 14-2. Waqar Ahmed, playing his first match in the tournament, top scored with a 47-ball 55 studded with six boundaries and a six. Waqar and Salman Khan Jnr (13) took the score to 61. Qasim Akram scored a 24-ball 31 with a six and three boundaries while skipper Faheem Ashraf made 20.

Nisar Ahmad was the best bowler for UMT Markhors with 4-22. He is now second on the bowling chart with 12 scalps, two behind Nurpur Lions’s Shahid Aziz. Akif Javed took 2-28.

Scores in brief:

Engro Dolphins 139-8, 20 overs (Waqar Ahmed 55, Qasim Akram 31, Faheem Ashraf 20; Nisar Ahmad 4-22, Akif Javed 2-28)

UMT Markhors 140-2 in 14.1 overs (Khawaja Mohammad Nafay 66 not out, Fakhar Zaman 53; Shayan Sheikh 2-16)

Player of the match - Nisar Ahmad (UMT Markhors)