In the Champions Cup 2024, Babar Azam delivered a memorable performance against Shahnawaz Dahani, although his efforts were not enough to secure a victory for the Stallions. During Match No. 4 held at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, Babar showcased his exceptional batting skills by hitting Dahani for five consecutive fours.Â
The Stallions were chasing a target of 232 runs when Babar came in to bat at No. 3. He played a pivotal role in the innings by attacking Dahani in the eighth over. Babar started the over with a dot ball but quickly changed the momentum with a series of aggressive strokes. He first pulled Dahani's delivery in front of square for a boundary, followed by a well-placed shot to the third-man region. A short ball from Dahani was smashed through point for another four, and Babar followed up with a square drive for his fourth boundary. He concluded the over with a powerful pull shot, contributing significantly to the Stallions' score, which stood at 47 for one after eight overs.
Babar Azam's innings continued as he scored 45 runs off 44 balls, including eight fours. Despite his solid performance, the Stallions' innings faltered dramatically. They were eventually bowled out for 105 runs in 23.4 overs, losing their last eight wickets for just 26 runs in the span of 8.4 overs. Babar's dismissal came at the hands of leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood, who took a simple catch off a pull shot at short fine leg. Mahmood's devastating spell, where he ended with impressive figures of 4.4-0-18-5, played a crucial role in the Stallions' collapse.
Currently, Babar Azam stands as the second-highest run-scorer of the Champions Cup, accumulating 121 runs from two matches at an average of 60.50. Despite Babar's heroics, the Stallions faced defeat, and the Markhors continued their dominant run, remaining undefeated at the top of the table.
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