Faisalabad: The UMT Markhors and Lake City Panthers are set to contest the final of the Bahria Town Champions One-Day Cup, marking the culmination of a 16-day cricket tournament. This final, scheduled for Sunday at 3pm at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, will determine the inaugural champions. Both teams have faced each other twice in the tournament, with each securing a victory in one of those encounters, setting the stage for a decisive showdown.
According to Pakistan Cricket Board, the path to the final saw the Markhors and Panthers overcoming various challenges, including changes in their squad compositions due to national team call-ups. The Markhors reached the final after their eliminator match was washed out, while the Panthers earned their spot by defeating the Markhors in the qualifiers. Notable performances have come from Usman Khan of the Panthers, who leads the run-scoring charts with 259 runs, and Mohammad Hasnain, also from the Panthers, who is the tournament’s top wicket-taker with 14 dismissals.
Captains from both teams expressed their enthusiasm and readiness for the final. Iftikhar Ahmed of the Markhors highlighted his intent to leverage his international experience to guide the younger players, aiming to replicate their earlier victory against the Panthers. On the other side, Shadab Khan of the Panthers looked forward to the challenge, noting the team’s preparation and determination to excel in the high-stakes match.