Champions One-Day Cup Final: Markhors and Panthers Set for Clash

• Champions One-Day Cup Final: Markhors vs Panthers.
• Markhors secured final spot after second eliminator was canceled due to wet outfield.
• The final match is to be played on Sunday at Iqbal Stadium.

Faisalabad: The Markhors have secured their place in the final of the Champions One-Day Cup after the second eliminator was called off due to a wet outfield, sending them through based on their higher points tally in the league stage.

The final match will see Iftikhar Ahmed’s Markhors face off against Shadab Khan’s Panthers at the Iqbal Stadium on Sunday.

The Panthers had already booked their spot in the final earlier in the week by defeating the Markhors in Qualifier 1, winning by 7 wickets.

Usman Khan led the charge in that match with a blistering unbeaten 54 off just 26 balls, helping his team chase down the target in only 23.4 overs. The Panthers had restricted the Markhors to just 137 runs in 36 overs, with Mohammad Hasnain and Saim Ayub delivering standout bowling performances.

In contrast, the second eliminator on Friday between the Lions and the Markhors was abandoned due to unplayable conditions. According to tournament rules, if a playoff match is washed out, the team with the higher standing in the league stage advances.

The Markhors, led by Mohammad Rizwan, topped the table with 38 points from three wins and one loss, while the Lions, led by Shaheen Afridi, finished fourth with 12 points.

Notably, the two teams have faced each other twice during the tournament, with the Markhors winning their first encounter on September 12 by a dominant 160-run margin.

However, the final showdown will be missing key players like Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha, who are part of the England Test squad and will not be available for the game on Sunday.

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