ISLAMABAD: Babar Azam on Thursday became the first Pakistani batter to register 30 or more List-A centuries as he smashed a brilliant 104 runs to guide Allied Bank Stallions to a victory over Engro Dolphins in the Champions One-Day Cup at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. 
For the second consecutive game Dolphins failed to chase a total as they could only reach 97 runs in pursuit of the 272-run target set by Stallions.
Babar hit an unbeaten 104 off 100 balls with the help of seven fours and three sixes, including a boundary on penultimate ball of the innings to bring up his record century. 
“Babar Azam smashed his 30th List-A century, becoming the first Pakistan batter to register 30 or more List-A centuries,” the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement.
The List-A cricket refers to 50-over domestic matches. The ton comes as a major sigh of relief for Babar, who’s had a poor form over the past few months. 
Babar has failed to score a half-century in the last eight Test matches he has played and has also failed to deliver stellar performances in the last two ICC cricket world cups in India and the United States.
Yasir Khan (46, 58b, 5x4s), Shan Masood (34, 36b, 3x4s) and Tayyab Tahir (33, 49b, 4x4s) were the other notable contributors. In turn, Mehran Mumtaz (3-14) and Jahandad Khan (3-18) picked up three wickets each as Dolphins fell for a paltry 97 in just 25 overs. 
After Stallions won the toss and elected to bat first, Shan and Yasir provided a solid opening partnership of 76 runs before falling in 13th and 17th overs, respectively. Babar and Tayyab stitched a 57-run third-wicket partnership before the latter fell in the 30th over. 
Hussain Talat chipped in with 23 off 25 balls with the help of two fours while also adding 46 with Babar for the fifth wicket. The eighth-wicket partnership between Babar and Haris Rauf stretched for 41 runs in 23 balls with the latter only contributing three runs. All six Dolphins bowlers picked up one wicket each. 
Jahandad’s three-wicket burst with the new ball left Dolphins at 40-3 before the other bowlers struck at regular intervals as they lost remaining seven wickets for just 57 runs. Abrar Ahmed dismissed the top scorers for Dolphins, Sahibzada Farhan (32, 36b, 6x4s) and Asif Ali (21, 28b, 3x4s). Haris Rauf bagged two wickets as well. 
Stallions made it two out of three wins as they qualified for the playoff stage, along with UMT Markhors and Lake City Panthers, while the Dolphins faced their third consecutive defeat. Lions and Dolphins are fighting for the fourth place in the playoff stage and will face each other on September 22.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would help Pakistan transform its economy, Pakistani state media reported.
The statement came at a reception hosted by the Chinese embassy in Islamabad with regard to China’s National Day, which was attended by PM Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, diplomats, dignitaries, and senior civil and military officers.
CPEC, a part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, aims to connect China to the Arabian Sea through a network of roads, railways, pipelines and ports in Pakistan and help Islamabad expand and modernize its economy.
China has also shown willingness for the second phase of CPEC and has given assurances for the establishment of five new corridors, including that of growth, livelihood, innovation, green economy and open regional inclusive development.
“We are entering into the second phase of CPEC which has huge potential of mutual cooperation in the field of agriculture, information technology, mines and minerals and many other important areas of mutual interests,” the state-run APP news agency quoted Sharif as saying at the event to commemorate China’s 75th anniversary.
He acknowledged China’s critical role in Pakistan’s talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new $7 billion bailout program to keep its economy afloat. Islamabad has for years relied on China, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for assistance to meet such external financing requirements.
“The ongoing partnership not only fostered regional development and peace but also contributed to global stability and progress, aligning with President Xi Jinping’s vision,” Sharif added.
Speaking at the event, President Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working together with China for shared prosperity, peace and stability in the world.
The high-quality development of CPEC would “help unlock greater benefits for our people, besides enhancing connectivity and prosperity of the region,” he was quoted as saying by the APP.
President Zardari felicitated the Chinese people on the auspicious occasion, saying the first of October marked the rebirth of a strong, united China that was achieved through the “heroic struggle” of the Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party.
He reflected on the invaluable contributions made by the successive generations in transforming the Pakistan-China friendship into an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.