KARACHI: Malir Dragons and Korangi Fighters will clash in the final of the inaugural Innovators Karachi Super League T20 cricket tournament after emerging contrasting winners on Friday’s semi-finals at the Lawai Cricket Stadium in Naya Nazimabad.

Malir easily overpowered Nazimabad Lions in the first semi-final by 32 runs.

Despite making a modest 109 all out with Arsalan Farzand almost scoring half of their runs — 53 off 58 balls with the aid of two sixes and one four — Malir managed to bowl out Nazimabad for just 77 in 18.5 overs as Tauheed Khan grabbed three wickets for 13 runs to lead from the font.

The other semi-final was a cliffhanger in which Korangi stunned favourites Gulshan Tigers by a narrow margin of five runs.

Slow left-armer Tauqir Malik was Korangi’s hero with three wickets for 20 runs while seamer Sadiq Ali took two for 36 as Gulshan were curtailed to 145-9 while chasing 151.

Zeeshan Haider was the top scorer for Gulshan with a 31-ball knock of 38 (three fours and two sixes) but he was guilty of throwing away his wicket.

Kashif Iqbal made 35 off 33 balls with two fours while Yasir Khan scored a breezy 15-ball 28 two fours and a brace of sixes.

Earlier, Korangi posted 150-6 with Shahid Ali hitting up a glorious unbeaten 57 off just 40 balls with the help of five boundaries. Taimur Ali contributed 28 off 14 deliveries with two fours and one six.

Slow left-armer Ata-ur-Rehman excelled by taking the first hat-trick of the tournament.

Summarised scores:

Malir Dragons beat Nazimabad Lions by 32 runs.

MALIR DRAGONS 109 in 20 overs (Arsalan Farzand 53, Salman Khan 15; Osama Basharat 3-14, Junaid Naeem 3-25); NAZIMABAD LIONS 77-7 in 20 overs (Osama Basharat 24, Osama But 20; Tauheed Khan 3-13, Waleed Ahmed 2-12).

Korangi Fighters beat Gulshan Tigers by five runs.

KORANGI FIGHTERS 150-6 in 20 overs (Shahid Ali 57 not out, Wasim Ahmed 38, Taimur Ali 39; Ata-ur-Rehman 3-26); GULSHAN TIGERS 145-9 in 20 overs Zeeshan Haider 38, Kashif Iqbal 35, Babat Khan 28; Tauqir Malik 4-20, Sadiq Ali 2-26).

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2018