National T20 Cup: Rawalpindi through to semis
Rams beat Faisalabad Wolves by seven runs in T20 Cup.
KARACHI:
Rawalpindi Rams advanced to the semi-finals of the Faysal Bank T20 Cup after edging out Misbahul Haq-led Faisalabad Wolves by seven runs yesterday.
Umar Amin made 53 and helped Rawalpindi post a competitive 165 for eight before Faisalabad were restricted to 158 off their quota of overs.
After choosing to bat, Rawalpindi were off to a horrendous start before Amin and Jamal Anwar added 97 for the fifth wicket. Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal was the pick of the bowlers for Faisalabad finishing with three for 32, including the wickets of Amin and Anwar.
In reply, Faisalabad never recovered from a shaky start and although Misbah and Imran Khalid put them back on track with a 66-run stand for the sixth wicket, the total proved beyond their reach.
Mohammad Rameez, fresh from claiming a hat-trick on Thursday, finished with two for 33 and captain Sohail Tanvir claimed two for 23 as the two fast-bowlers destroyed the Faisalabad batting order.
The win meant Rawalpindi qualified from Group B and join Lahore Eagles and Sialkot Stallions in the semi-final line-up.
Afghans sent home empty-handed
The promising Afghanistan Cheetas were confined to their third successive loss in the event and will be going home today with zero points but many followers.
Cheetas sparked for brief periods in the first two matches but their inability to seal the result left them second best. Against Multan Tigers, however, the Cheetas were unable to post a healthy total after opting to bat, finishing on 131 for nine off their quota. Captain Mohammad Nabi top-scored with 34 as Naved Yasin and former Pakistan pacer Shabbir Ahmed shared seven wickets to restrict Afghanistan.
Despite the loss of an early wicket, the Tigers managed to go past the target, losing six wickets as they ended their campaign on a winning note. Multan did wobble after they had crossed the 100-mark but Kamran Hussain scored 33 not out and Shabbir starred with the bat as well (22*) to take their side home.
Afridi stars for Dolphins
Five-time finalists Karachi Dolphins got their tournament underway with a thumping eight-wicket win over Islamabad Leopards with over six overs to spare.
Captain Shahid Afridi had the capacity-filled National Stadium singing to his tune for almost three hours as the all-rounder first grabbed three wickets for just 20 runs and then smashed seven fours and two sixes in a 32-ball 58 at the top of the innings. The stadium, which had suffered poor turnout prior to Dolphins’ opening match of the tournament, reverberated with ‘Af-ri-di’ every time the player came into action as the pressure became too much to handle for umpire Ahmed Shahab who fainted in the first-innings.
Leopards, meanwhile, failed to post a competitive total after opting to bat first, being restricted to 131 for nine off their quota. In reply, Shahzaib Hasan and Afridi put on 36 in just three overs before Hasan holed onto mid-on. Afridi then combined with Rameez Raja in a 70-run partnership to take his side past the 100-mark and also within touching distance of the maximum points. Needing a win to ensure a semi-final berth, Dolphins took on Peshawar Panthers in yesterday’s late match.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2011.
Rawalpindi Rams advanced to the semi-finals of the Faysal Bank T20 Cup after edging out Misbahul Haq-led Faisalabad Wolves by seven runs yesterday.
Umar Amin made 53 and helped Rawalpindi post a competitive 165 for eight before Faisalabad were restricted to 158 off their quota of overs.
After choosing to bat, Rawalpindi were off to a horrendous start before Amin and Jamal Anwar added 97 for the fifth wicket. Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal was the pick of the bowlers for Faisalabad finishing with three for 32, including the wickets of Amin and Anwar.
In reply, Faisalabad never recovered from a shaky start and although Misbah and Imran Khalid put them back on track with a 66-run stand for the sixth wicket, the total proved beyond their reach.
Mohammad Rameez, fresh from claiming a hat-trick on Thursday, finished with two for 33 and captain Sohail Tanvir claimed two for 23 as the two fast-bowlers destroyed the Faisalabad batting order.
The win meant Rawalpindi qualified from Group B and join Lahore Eagles and Sialkot Stallions in the semi-final line-up.
Afghans sent home empty-handed
The promising Afghanistan Cheetas were confined to their third successive loss in the event and will be going home today with zero points but many followers.
Cheetas sparked for brief periods in the first two matches but their inability to seal the result left them second best. Against Multan Tigers, however, the Cheetas were unable to post a healthy total after opting to bat, finishing on 131 for nine off their quota. Captain Mohammad Nabi top-scored with 34 as Naved Yasin and former Pakistan pacer Shabbir Ahmed shared seven wickets to restrict Afghanistan.
Despite the loss of an early wicket, the Tigers managed to go past the target, losing six wickets as they ended their campaign on a winning note. Multan did wobble after they had crossed the 100-mark but Kamran Hussain scored 33 not out and Shabbir starred with the bat as well (22*) to take their side home.
Afridi stars for Dolphins
Five-time finalists Karachi Dolphins got their tournament underway with a thumping eight-wicket win over Islamabad Leopards with over six overs to spare.
Captain Shahid Afridi had the capacity-filled National Stadium singing to his tune for almost three hours as the all-rounder first grabbed three wickets for just 20 runs and then smashed seven fours and two sixes in a 32-ball 58 at the top of the innings. The stadium, which had suffered poor turnout prior to Dolphins’ opening match of the tournament, reverberated with ‘Af-ri-di’ every time the player came into action as the pressure became too much to handle for umpire Ahmed Shahab who fainted in the first-innings.
Leopards, meanwhile, failed to post a competitive total after opting to bat first, being restricted to 131 for nine off their quota. In reply, Shahzaib Hasan and Afridi put on 36 in just three overs before Hasan holed onto mid-on. Afridi then combined with Rameez Raja in a 70-run partnership to take his side past the 100-mark and also within touching distance of the maximum points. Needing a win to ensure a semi-final berth, Dolphins took on Peshawar Panthers in yesterday’s late match.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2011.