KARACHI: Lahore Lions lived up to their star-billing as they opened their Faysal Bank T20 Cup title defence with a clinical 82-rout of Hyderabad Hawks in the Group ‘C’ game at the National Stadium here on Sunday.

Inspired by opening stand of 116 in 12 overs between Ahmed Shahzad and Kamran Akmal, the Lions were too good for the Hawks who messed up their run chase in the middle overs before being put out of their misery in the penultimate over of the match.

Kamran, currently out of favour with the national selectors, sent a strong message by thumping a 41-ball 62, which was laced with seven fours and one six, before he got himself stranded down the pitch while attempting another big hit.

Ahmed, meanwhile, paced his innings nicely to hammer nine boundaries in his 72 off 50 balls. Umar Akmal helped himself to 33 from 21 deliveries, while the Lions lost three more wickets. But their total of 194-5 was enough to put the Hawks on the back foot.

Abdul Razzaq rotated his bowlers with none of them completing their full quota, but each of them at least bagged a scalp as the Hawks were shot out for 118. Kamran capped a good outing with three dismissals as well to clinch the Man-of-the-Match award.

With the easy fixture behind them, the Lions await five-time T20 winners Sialkot Stallions on Tuesday night in a mouth-watering encounter that would decide the semi-finalists from this pool.