Stallions knocked out
Hammad Azam, who blasted 37 off 25 deliveries, took four crucial wickets as the Stallions, chasing a mammoth 198 to win, fell short by 23 runs. Rams, who were given a fine start by openers Naved Malik and Awais Zia, then got a taste of their own medicine when Imran Nazir and Tahir Mughal went on a rampage. However, Azam dismissed the pair and then took another two at the death.
Leopards slaughter the Wolves
Shoaib Akhtar’s opening burst of three wickets in six balls was the cornerstone of one of the most one-sided encounters of the tournament as Islamabad Leopards defeated Faisalabad Wolves by nine wickets.
Akhtar, who finished with four for 20, then saw his openers put on 97 as the Leopards overhauled the 142-run target in the 18th over to set up a semi-final clash against Lahore Lions today.
Dolphins blaze through to last-four
Shahzaib Hasan cracked a stunning unbeaten century – the first of the tournament – as Karachi Dolphins’ mammoth 243 for two was more than enough for the Lahore Eagles who went down by 35 runs. The win confirmed Dolhpins’ progress to the last-four where they will take on Rawalpindi Rams.
Hasan, who is the tournament’s top-scorer with 177 runs, put on an astonishing 138 runs off just 80 balls with fellow opener Khalid Latif (55) before captain Shahid Afridi (48 off 18) added 77. Hasan smashed 13 fours and three sixes in his 61-ball innings and Tariq Haroon ensured the aggressive start was capitalised on as he smashed four sixes in his six-ball innings to take the Dolphins to the tournament’s highest total.
In reply, Eagles’ openers Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umar fought valiantly at the top of the order and Ali Azmat struck a 38-ball 69 but the asking-rate remained beyond the home side’s reach as the Eagles lost their second match in a row.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2010.
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