Mubasir, Haider and spinners give Panthers comfortable win

Panthers claimed their second successive win, thanks to contributions of 90 and 84 from Mubasir Khan and Haider Ali and an all-round contribution from their captain Shadab Khan. A 144-run fifth-wicket partnership between Mubasir and Haider powered the team to 283. Lions did look well-placed just before the halfway mark in their chase with Imam-ul-Haq's second successive half-century guiding them to 127 for 3, before a collapse saw them lose their last seven wickets for 72 in 79 balls, giving the Panthers an 84-run win, and keeping Lions winless.

Panthers won the toss and batted first; that has been a winning formula all tournament and it did not change in the only day game of this competition. Sirajuddin and Shaheen Shah Afridi gave Lions a perfect start with four early wickets, reducing Shadab's side to 51 for 4, but a remarkable middle-order recovery got the innings back on track.

The next 211 runs came at over a run a ball for the loss of just one wicket and Mubasir and Haider were on the path for well-deserved hundreds before falling short of that mark. A cameo from Shadab ensured Panthers posed an imposing total, even if a late mini-collapse saw them bowled out in under 47 overs.

Mohammad Hasnain, enjoying a solid tournament, gave his side another good start with Sajjad Ali's wicket in the first over. His contribution extended to the fielding, running-out Omair Yousuf to leave Lions 44 for 3. But a counterattacking knock from Imam got Lions back into the driving seat, as he went after spin and pace alike.

But from the moment Shadab returned and drew an edge from the opener that Usman Khan latched onto, Lions' resistance fell apart. Usama Mir and Shadab got stuck into the middle order, which could not replicate the role of their counterparts. Hasnain returned to clean Sirajuddin up to seal a convincing win and maintain the status quo of no chasing side winning in this tournament.