KARACHI: A fine all-round performance from Asif Raza helped holders Omar CC advance into the final of the 29th Karachi Gymkhana Omar Associates Ramazan Cricket Festival with a 32-run win over Eaton CC here at the Karachi Gymkhana Ground on Friday.

In a match curtailed to 17-overs-a-side because of intermittent rain, Omar CC made 125-9 in the first semi-final.

Their score was based around useful knocks from Saad Nasim (26 off 23 balls, one four), Anwar Ali (21 off 15), Asif Raza (21 off eight deliveries) and Umar Siddique (21 off 27).

The most successful of the Eaton CC bowlers was slow left-armer Saadat Munir who snared four wickets for 33 runs while off-spinner Fahad Anjum took two for 29.

Eaton CC, in their chase, were dismissed for 93 in 16.3 overs with Ali Jawwad contributing a 30-ball 27 that included one six and a solitary boundary. Fahad Anjum made 17 from 10 balls.

Omar CC’s strong attack was led by experienced slow left-armer Zulfiqar Babar who captured three wickets for 29 runs after Pakistan team-mate Anwar Ali had caused havoc at the top with the new ball with two wickets for eight runs.

Slow left-armer Faraz Ahmed Khan was also very tidy in taking two for nine but the man-of-the-match was Asif Raza who followed his little cameo with the bat with figures of two for 22.

Omar CC’s opponents in the final scheduled for Sunday would be decided on Saturday when Advance Telecom and K. Electric clash in the second semi-final.

Summarised scores:

OMAR CC 125-9 in 17 overs (Saad Nasim 26, Anwar Ali 21, Asif Raza 21, Umar Siddique 21; Saadat Munir 4-33, Fahad Anjum 2-29); EATON CC 93 in 16.3 overs (Ali Jawwad 27. Nadeem Javed 17; Zulfiqar Babar 3-29, Anwar Ali 2-8, Faraz Ahmed Khan 2-9, Asif Raza 2-22).

Saturday’s fixture: K-Electric vs Advance Telecom (second semi-final).

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2014