LAHORE: The CM Punjab Champions League, being organised by the Sports Board Punjab, witnessed thrilling performances on Monday night as Multan Mavericks and Lahore Strikers registered convincing victories in their opening matches.
At Multan, the Multan Mavericks defeated Lahore Tigers by seven wickets after a dominant all-round display. Batting first, Lahore Tigers posted 142 runs in 20 overs, with Zain bin Farooq (45) and Malik Bilal (28) contributing valuable runs. For the Mavericks, Rana Adeel starred with the ball, claiming three wickets, while Mehar Saeed took two.
In reply, Multan Mavericks chased down the target in just 15.2 overs, led by a stunning innings from Rana Adeel, who smashed 92 runs off 45 balls, including 13 fours and four sixes. Haseeb Nazim (18) and Shoaib (16) added useful runs, while Ali Raza, Tauseef, and Khaqan picked up a wicket each for Lahore Tigers.
Meanwhile, at DG Khan, the Lahore Strikers outclassed Gujrat Thunders by eight wickets. Gujrat Thunders managed 145 runs in their 20 overs, with Rahat Ullah (35), Hayat Zada (21), and Zain Farooq (20) leading the charge. Abu Bakar and Umar Butt were outstanding with the ball, taking three wickets each.
The Strikers’ chase was anchored by Zain-ul-Hassan, who struck a fluent 71, supported by Khawaja Abdullah (32) and Abu Marsad (28 not out). Farhad Jameel and Hayat Khan claimed one wicket apiece for Gujrat Thunders.
