KARACHI: Sialkot Stallions stayed on course for the semi-finals when they eased to a 44-run victory over Quetta Bears in Saturday’s first match of the Bank AlBaraka presents Haier T20 Cup here at the National Stadium.

The Stallions, who have lifted the national crown six times, chalked up their third successive win in Group ‘A’ after piling up 171-4 after Bears skipper Bismillah Khan invited them to have a bat in cloudy conditions when the match commenced at 9:00am.

But Bismillah, who was hauled by match referee for hearing soon after their game against Karachi Dolphins on Friday night, was left to rue his decision as Mukhtar Ahmed (32 off 22 balls, six boundaries) and Mansoor Amjad (22) launched the innings with a stand of 50 in 34 balls.

Haris Sohail and Ali Khan further pulverised the Bears in a quick partnership, yielding 79 runs from only 40 deliveries, Haris finished on an unbeaten 52 (39 balls, five fours and one six) while Ali was dismissed on the last of the innings after striking four sixes and a solitary four in a 23-ball 44.

The Bears, chasing a rate of 8.60, slumped to 84-7 in the 14th over before a 43-run partnership between debutant Ehsanullah (13) and Nazar Hussain (29 off 25) lifted them to 127-7.

Mukhtar snared the wickets of Zubair Khan (35 off 26, five boundaries) and Taimur Khan (32 off 31, five fours) and Jalat Khan (first ball) to clinch the man-of-the-match award after his breezy knock in the morning.

Scoreboard

SIALKOT STALLIONS:

Mukhtar Ahmed c Mohiuddin b Jalat32

Mansoor Amjad run out22

Haris Sohail not out52

Shahid Yousuf b Ghulam 12

Ali Khan c Taimur b Jalat44

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-5, NB-2) 9

TOTAL (for four wkts, 20 overs) 171

FALL OF WKTS: 1-50, 2-62, 3-92, 4-171.

DID NOT BAT: Adeel Malik, Ayaz Tasawwar, Shakeel Ansar, Bilawal Bhatti, Abdur Rehman, Hasan Ali.

BOWLING: Nazar Hussain 4-0-42-0 (1w); Mohiuddin 3-0-28-0 (2w); Jalat Khan 4-0-39-2 (1nb, 1w); Ehsanullah 4-0-21-0; Ghulam Mohammad 4-0-24-1 (1w); Mohibullah 1-0-15-0.

QUETTA BEARS:

Bismillah Khan c Shakeel b Hasan5

Zubair Khan c Bilawal b Mukhtar35

Mohammad Farhan c Shahid b Bilawal0

Mohibullah c Mukhtar b Ali Khan 4

Taimur Khan c Ali Khan b Mukhtar 32

Umar Qasim c Adeel b Mansoor3

Jalat Khan and b Mukhtar0

Ehsanullah not out13

Nazar Hussain not out29

EXTRAS (W-2, NB-4) 6

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 20 overs)127

FALL OF WKTS: 1-13, 2-18, 3-32, 4-66, 5-82, 6-82, 7-84.

DID NOT BAT: Ghulam Mohammad, Mohiuddin.

BOWLING: Bilawal Bhatti 4-0-34-1 (1nb); Hasan Ali 2-0-8-1; Ali Khan 3-0-30-1 (2w); Abdur Rehman 4-0-22-0; Mansoor Amjad 4-0-17-1 (1nb); Mukhtar Ahmed 3-0-16-3.

RESULT: Sialkot Stallions won by 44 runs.

UMPIRES: Hakeem Shah and Mohammad Asif.

TV UMPIRE: Zameer Haider.

MATCH REFEREE: Saadat Ali.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Mukhtar Ahmed.

Published in Dawn, September 21st , 2014