KARACHI: Faisalabad Wolves, overwhelmingly strengthened by return of the wily Saeed Ajmal, brushed aside Lahore Eagles with nonchalant ease on Tuesday at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi to warm up for the knockout stage of the Faysal Bank T20 Cup.
Imran Farhat, the Eagles captain, didn’t expect his side to fold up so meekly after deciding that batting would be the best option in the last Group ‘C’ match. Barring a 41-run partnership from 38 deliveries between himself and fellow Pakistan discard Kamran Akmal, it was one-way traffic as the Wolves strangulated their opponents without much problem.
Kamran was the top scorer with a 37-ball 30 (four boundaries) and the left-handed Imran contributed a run-a-ball 23 with three hits to the fence before were outmanoeuvred by Saeed who is regarded as the best bowler in the shortest form of cricket.
Saeed later came back to get Mohammad Khalil and complete a rare all-bowled hat-trick. Khurram Shehzad, a batsman who is a handy limited-overs bowler, grabbed two for seven with his off-spinners.
The Wolves took their time in making light of their modest 94-run target. Openers Farrukh Shehzad (23 off 21 balls, four fours) and the left-handed Ali Waqas (31 off 38, two fours and one six) put on 47 in 43 balls before Ali and Khurram (27 off 24, three sixes) added 45 from 38 deliveries.
Despite Khurram making a good impression, Saeed was declared Man-of-the-Match.
