LAHORE: Rawalpindi Rams, inspired by blistering knocks from Jamal Anwar and Sohail Tanvir, stunned the star-studded Lahore Lions by 47 runs to reach the final of Faysal Bank Super Eight T-20 Cup at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Thursday.
Sohail (60) and Jamal (67) shared a fourth-wicket stand of 111 off only 68 balls to help the Rams reach a formidable total of 186-4 in the first semi-final.
The Lions struggled from the onset of their innings and found themselves out of the contest when the eighth wicket fell at 88 with big names Nasir Jamshed (5), Ahmed Shehzad (13), Kamran Akmal (2) and Umar Akmal (8) all gone. Skipper Mohammad Yousuf (35 off 24 balls, three fours and two sixes) tried in vain but task proved too much for the former Pakistan star.
The Lions finally limped to 139-9 mainly because of Adnan Rasool who slogged an unbeaten 24-ball 41 with the help of four sixes and two fours.
Mohammad Rameez (2-26), Raza Hasan (2-21) and Samiullah (2-38) shared the wickets.
Earlier batting first, Jamal and Sohail, who came together at 66-3 in the eighth over, mauled the Lions bowling to all parts of the ground. Jamal blasted powered their ways, mauling almost all Lions’ bowlers to earn a big total. Man-of-the-Match Jamal slammed three sixes and six fours in his 480ball knock, while Sohail adorned his 44-ball innings with three sixes and five fours.
The Rams’ opponents in Friday’s final will be either Karachi Dolphins or Sialkot Stallions who were playing the second semi-final at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the Lions defeated Hyderabad Hawks in Wednesday’s last league round fixture by 12 runs with Ahmed Shehzad excelling with a 49-ball 78.
Results: Rawalpindi Rams beat Lahore Lions by 47 runs. RAWALPINDI RAMS 186-4 in 20 overs (Jamal Anwar 67, Sohail Tanvir 60 not out, Awais Zia 29); LAHORE LIONS 139-9 in 20 overs (Adnan Rasool 41 not out, Mohammad Yousuf 35; Raza Hasan 2-21, Mohammad Rameez 2-26, Samiullah 2-28). Lahore Lions beat against Hyderabad Hawks by eight runs.
LAHORE LIONS 160-9 in 20 overs (Ahmed Shahzad 78; Nasir Anwar 3-25, Zahid Mahmood 3-29); HYDERABAD HAWKS 152-7 in 20 overs (Azeem Ghumman 43, Aqeel Anjum 40, Faisal Athar 26; Aizaz Cheema 3-18, Adnan Rasool 2-23).
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