Fakhar’s 76-ball match-winning century lights up opening day of National Champions Cup
• Fakhar scored his second fastest and 20th List-A century on the opening day of tournament
Fakhar’s 76-ball match-winning century lights up opening day of National Champions Cup
• Fakhar scored his second fastest and 20th List-A century on the opening day of tournament
• Match scorecard is available here; Tournament scorecards and stats are available here
• The official nomenclature of the tournament is Al Batal Presents University of Lahore National Champions Cup 2026-27; Media houses are requested to use the correct nomenclature in all texts, headlines and bulletins
Multan : Fakhar Zaman struck his 20th List-A century off just 76 balls to help PCB Greens overhaul the 277-run target in 49 overs with five wickets in the bag against PCB Whites in the opening match of the AL Batal presents University of Lahore National Champions Cup 2026-27 here at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Left handed opener Fakhar became the sixth Pakistan batter to rack up 20 or more List A tons joining Babar Azam (31), Khurram Manzoor (27), Saeed Anwar (26), Salman Butt (24) and Kamran Akmal (21) on the list. It was also his second fastest century in the format besides his 63-ball ton against New Zealand in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
PCB Greens got off to a fine start in the chase as Fakhar and Sameer Minhas put on a 90-run opening stand in 14 overs. Khushdil Shah drew the first blood for Whites as he bowled Sameer for 24 off 33 including two fours. Fakhar brought up his half-century off 39 balls before taking another 37 for his second fifty.
Fakhar did much of the scoring in the second wicket stand of 67 off 56 balls as Omair bin Yousuf departed for eight off 19 in the 24th over. Greens’ dashing opener brought up his ton a with a four and a double against Ali Raza in the 21st over.
Shahnawaz Dahani brought an end to Fakhar’s rampaging 123 off 104 balls involving 18 fours and two sixes in the 29th over. Saad Baig (22, 28b, 3x4s) and debutant Farhan Yousuf (38, 44b, 4x4s, 1×6) were the other two wickets to fall. Farhan made his List-A debut memorable by smashing Shahnawaz Dahani for a hat-trick of fours in the 33rd over.
Skipper Shadab Khan (34 not out, 45b, 3x4s) and Faheem Ashraf (11 not out, 21b, 1×4) saw off the game by the end of the penultimate over after Farhan had fallen in the 43rd.
Leg-spinner Saad Masood was the pick of Greens’ bowlers with figures of two for 30 in seven overs.
Earlier, half-centuries from Shahzaib Khan, Hasan Nawaz and Khushdil Shah led Pakistan Whites to a decent total. Shahzaib top-scored with 76 off 88 – his sixth List-A fifty – as he stitched a valuable third-wicket stand of 78 with Usman Khan (34, 52b, 2x4s, 1×6) after Whites had lost skipper Saim Ayub and Mohsin Riaz early.
Saim was run out in the fifth over for 14 off 18 via a throw from Farhan, while Mohsin was caught and bowled by Mohammad Salman Mirza for one. Usman fell to Mehran Mumtaz in the 24th over just as the partnership was heading towards the three-figure mark.
N0.5 Hasan Nawaz and No.6 Khushdil Shah both came together when Shahzaib’ stay at the crease was cut short by Naseem Shah, who castled him from round the wicket, bringing an end to the 44-run fourth-wicket stand.
Hasan and Khushdil remained at the wicket for 80 balls and gathered 77 runs. Whites reached the 200-run mark with Khushdil hitting a boundary in the 40th over. At this juncture, Whites looked poised for a 300-run total with two set batters but PCB Greens pacers made a comeback.
Faheem Ashraf first removed Hasan for 56 off 61 inclusive of one four and two sixes as Whites lost four for 35 in the last 40 balls. Naseem got rid of Khushdil (51, 44b, 2x4s, 3x6s) in the 45th over and then returned to bag the wicket of Saad Masood in the 47th.
Haris Rauf remained unbeaten for 11 off nine having hit one six. Naseem finished with three for 46 in nine overs. Faheem accounted for Mohammad Wasim Jnr in the last over of the innings to return figures of two fo 35 in seven overs. Salman and Mehran had a wicket each to their name.
Scores in brief
Match 1 – Pakistan Greens beat Pakistan Whites by five wickets at Multan Cricket Stadium
Pakistan Whites 276-8, 50 overs (Shahzaib Khan 76, Hasan Nawaz 56, Khushdil Shah 51, Usman Khan 34; Naseem Shah 3-46, Faheem Ashraf 2-35)
Pakistan Greens 277-5, 49 overs (Fakhar Zaman 123, Farhan Yousuf 38, Shadab Khan 34 not out, Sameer Minhas 24, Saad Baig 22; Saad Masood 2-30)
Player of the match – Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan Greens)
