Babar Azam's 45 not enough as Zahid Mehmood runs riot

Pakistan white-ball captain Babar Azam failed to convert yet another start into a century, this time around in a tighter game than his previous encounter in the Champions One-Day Cup, the country’s premier 50-over tournament. 

Playing for the Stallions, Babar, who is bizarrely enough, not the captain of his side, was the only batter that tried to brave the storm called Zahid Mehmood of the Markhors in the fourth match of the tournament on September 15 (Sunday) in Faisalabad. 

The 29-year-old, who scored 76 in the last match of the tournament for his team, was the lone fighter when the Stallions started their chase of 232. Babar hit 45 off 45 balls with eight fours to his credit. Babar is currently the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament with 121 runs in two innings, only five behind leader Kamran Ghulam of Markhors. 

However, after the fall of his wicket, there was no coming back for the side led by Mohammad Haris. 

While Naseem Shah got the wickets of openers Yasir Khan and Shan Masood, Salman Agha had Tayyib Tahir caught behind. But it was after the fall of these three wickets that the Zahid Mahmood show began. The 36-year-old pacer first removed Babar and Haris in consecutive overs. 

In his third over, he got Mehran Mumtaz out and Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed in his fourth and fifth overs, bowling the Stallions out for just 105 in 23.4 overs.

Earlier, the Markhors, riding on the back of smart half-centuries from Agha (51) and Iftikhar Ahmed (60), posted 231 on the board in 45 overs. Jahandad Khan took four wickets for the Stallions. 

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