KARACHI: Inspired by a fine spell of spin bowling from Bilal Javed, Omar Colts upstaged Sony Associates by five wickets to qualify for the semi-finals of the 29th Aga Khan Gymkhana Ramazan Cricket Festival at AKG Ground here on Thursday.

Opting to bat first in the third quarter-final, Omar Colts restricted Soni Associates to 135 all out, a total that included 47 (off 29 balls, five fours and brace of sixes) from opener Ahmed Hussain and Mati-ur-Rehman’s 27 off 22 balls with two fours and a six. The two put on 76 for the opening wicket.

Bilal was the star performer as the slow left-armer snared four wickets for 21 runs in four overs with Shahrukh Ali taking 2-12 in his three overs.

Omar Colts, in reply, reached the target in 16.5 overs by making 135-5. Salman Ali scored 35 off 14 balls with the aid of five fours and a brace of sixes, all-rounder Hafiz Saad Nasim slammed an unbeaten 24 off 16 balls with one four and a six) and Mohammad Ikhlaq contributed 28 off 19 balls with one four and two sixes.

Bilal Javed was later declared as man-of-the-match.

Summarised scores:

SONI ASSOCIATES 143-10 in 20 overs (Ahmed Hussain 47, Mati-ur- Rehman 27, Shuja 20; Bilal Javed 4-21, Shahrukh Ali 2-12); OMAR COLTS 135-5 in 16.5 overs Salman Ali 35,Mohammad Ikhlaq 28, Saad Nasim 24 not out, Gohar Ali 17 not out).

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2016