KARACHI, Nov 21: Rawalpindi Rams sealed a narrow two-wicket victory against Sialkot Stallions at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot on Thursday to move at the top of Group-I standings in the National One-day Cup.

After restricting the Stallions to 219-7 in the allotted 45 overs, the Rams chalked up their fourth successive win by reaching the target of 220 at the beginning of the 43rd over. Skipper Babar Naeem set up the chase by striking seven boundaries in a 74-ball 68 — the only 50-plus score of the match.

With Karachi Zebras who have six points from three straight victories not in action, Peshawar Panthers jumped into third place with four points after defeating Abbottabad Falcons by 21 runs in a high-scoring tie at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar.

After opting to bat first, the Panthers made 280 all out with Mohammad Idrees (52 off 45 balls, nine fours), captain Jamaluddin (51 off 29, 12 boundaries), Mehran Ibrahim (49 off 40, four fours) and Iftikhar Ahmed (44 off 69, three fours) being the main run-getters.

Paceman Umair Khan claimed a career-best four for 39 in seven overs, while debutant left-arm seamer Irad Ali took 3-69.

The Falcons lost four wickets for 98 runs before skipper Waqar Orakzai (42) and Mohammad Naeem (98 off 64 balls, 18 fours and one six) put on 76. But it wasn’t enough as their side subsided to 259 all out in the 44th over with slow left-armer Jibran Khan derailing their chase with his best-ever return of five for 42 in 8.2 overs. Mohammad Adnan took three for 45.

Meanwhile, Bahawalpur Stags scored their first win while condemning Lahore Eagles to a third consecutive loss in the event at the LCCA Ground in Lahore. The Stags ran out easy winners by 113 as the Eagles crumbled to 115 all out.

Lahore Lions clinched their third win in four matches with a close 13-run defeat of Islamabad Leopards at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad.

After posting 269-8 with opener Imran Butt (72 off 88 balls, three sixes and one six) and Agha Salman (57 off 66, six boundaries) being the leading scorers.

Hamza Nadeem captured three wickets for 42 runs before top-scoring with a 30-ball cameo of 55 (four sixes and three furs) in the Leopards’ total of 256-8. Skipper Imad Wasim also had a good game with 2-42 and a knock of 53 (off 76 balls, two four).

Hyderabad Hawks’ bad luck continued when they lost for the third straight time running with Multan Tigers sealing a five-wicket triumph at the Multan Cricket Stadium thanked to an unfinished partnership of 109 between Mohammad Waris (58 off 56, seven fours and one six) and all-rounder Aamir Yamin (63 off 48, four boundaries and a brace of sixes).

Opener Ammar Mahmood (75 off 89 balls, 11 boundaries) put on 113 for the second wicket with Hamza Zaheer (55 off 74, seven fours and one six) to help Faisalabad Wolves beat Quetta Bears by eight wickets at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

Meanwhile, the fourth-round matches in the President’s Cup one-day tournament for departments are scheduled to be played on Friday.

Results on Thursday:

Group-I:

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: Bahawalpur Stags beat Lahore Eagles by 113 runs.

BAHAWALPUR STAGS 228-9 in 45 overs (Jawwad Hussain 49, Faisal Mubashir 47, Jahanzeb Khan 39 not out, Zahir Siddiqui 26; Jahangir Mirza 2-29, Adnan Danish 2-38, Qaiser Ashraf 2-50); LAHORE EAGLES 115 in 27.1 overs (Saad Ali 26, Adnan Danish 22; Afraseem Hussain 3-23, Imranullah Aslam 2-11, Jahanzeb Khan 2-18, Abdul Rehman 2-30).

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: Rawalpindi Rams beat Sialkot Stallions by two wickets.

SIALKOT STALLIONS 219-7 in 45 overs (Hafiz Majid Jahangir 44, Nasir Iqbal 40, Mansoor Amjad 27, Bilal Asif 25 not out, Naved Sarwar 23; Babar Naeem 2-31); RAWALPINDI RAMS 220-8 in 42.1 overs (Babar Naeem 68, Naved Malik 30, Muzammil Nizam 23, Zahid Mansoor 21; Adnan Ghaus 2-26, Hasan Ali 2-65).

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: Peshawar Panthers beat Abbottabad Falcons by 21 runs.

PESHAWAR PANTHERS 280 in 45 overs (Mohammad Idrees 52, Jamaluddin 51, Mehran Ibrahim 49, Iftikhar Ahmed 44, Adil

Amin 36; Umair Khan 4-39, Irad Ali 3-69, Shakeel Shah 2-59); ABBOTTABAD FALCONS 259 in 43.2 overs (Mohammad Naeem 98, Waqar Orakzai 42, Kamran Ghulam 29, Rehan Afridi 25; Jibran Khan 5-42, Mohammad Adnan 3-45).

Group-II:

At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: Multan Tigers beat Hyderabad Hawks by five wickets.

HYDERABAD HAWKS 219 in 44.3 overs (Taj Wassan 52, Lal Kumar 42, Nasir Awais 24, Faisal Athar 22; Ali Usman 3-29, Aamir Yamin 2-33, Kumail Abbas 2-44); MULTAN TIGERS 225-5 in 43.1 overs (Aamir Yamin 63 not out, Mohammad Waris 58 not out, Yasir Butt 34, Najam Abbas 28, Ahad Raza 25; Imran Chandio 2-31).

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: Faisalabad Wolves beat Quetta Bears by eight wickets.

QUETTA BEARS 165 in 40.3 overs (Ata-ur-Rehman 46, Mohammad Farhan 46; Waqas Maqsood 3-31, Asad Ali 3-33, Naseer Akram 2-28, Fahim Ashraf 2-36); FAISALABAD WOLVES 166-2 in 31.5 overs (Ammar Mahmood 75 not out, Hamza Zaheer 55, Salman Ali 21 not out).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: Lahore Lions beat Islamabad Leopards by 13 runs.

LAHORE LIONS 269-8 in 45 overs (Imran Butt 72, Agha Salman 57, Mohammad Saeed 42, Mohammad Irfan 33 not out; Hamza Nadeem 3-42, Imad Wasim 2-42, Moeid Ahmed 2-51); ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 256-8 in 45 overs (Hamza Nadeem 55, Imad Wasim 53, Mohammad Irfan 40 not out, Salman Haider 26, Kashif Majeed 23; Mohammad Saeed 2-49, Mohammad Irfan 2-63).