KARACHI, May 30: Faisalabad Cricket Club pulled off a major shock in the Pakistan Champions League cricket tournament when they defeated favourites Afghanistan Youth by 28 runs at the RLCA Ground in Korangi on Wednesday to breeze into the semi-finals.
Hasan Mahmood emerged as the unlikely hero for Faisalabad CC as he took top wickets of Asghar Jannat, Gulbadin Naib and Khaliqullah and accounted for a brilliant run-out to help his team to an emphatic win in the quarter-finals.
Opener Mohammad Shahzad blasted a brilliant 55 in 39 balls with four boundaries and four sixes before he was run out.
Afghan Youth, who were at 68-2 in the 11th over, crumbled to 106 all out with four balls remaining.
Faisalabad CC had earlier scored 134-9 in their 20 overs. Naveen Haider hit five fours and a six in scoring 45 off 36-balls. Sabir Hussain blasted three fours and one six in his 13-ball cameo of 30. Gulbadin Naib took three wickets for 24 runs with his medium pacers.
Al-Noor Gymkhana and Khyber Greens of Fata also qualified for the last-four stage with impressive victories late on Tuesday.
Spinners Aslam Afridi and Asif Khan shared six wickets between them to bowl Khyber Greens to 19-run victory over Hong Kong Academy.
Saeed Afridi scored 34 with five fours and a six and Almar Afridi slammed two sixes and two fours in his 33 as Khyber Greens piled up 160-7 in 20 overs.
Medium-pacer Irfan Ahmed snapped up three wickets for 27 runs.
Hong Kong Academy, in reply, were bowled out for 141 with two balls to spare despite Imran Ghani striking 52 hat included eight boundaries and one six.
Aslam Afridi claimed three wickets for 13 runs in his four overs of leg-spin, while slow left-armer Asif Khan bagged three for 23.
Earlier in the first quarter-final, Al-Noor Gymkhana crushed Combined CC Faisalabad by eight wickets.
Jalat Khan, known more for his batting prowess, starred in Al-Noor Gymkhana’s win by grabbing three wickets for 14 runs.
Opener Naved Malik hit a breezy 44 off just 20 deliveries with five boundaries and three sixes as Al-Noor Gymkhana raced to victory in the 11th over.
Summarised scores: Faisalabad CC beat Afghanistan Youth by 28 runs.
FAISALABAD CC 134-9 in 20 overs (Naveed Haider 45, Sabir Hussain 30, Gulbadin Naib 3-24); AFGHANISTAN YOUTH 106 in 19.2 overs (Mohammad Shahzad 55; Hasan Mahmood 3-16, Ghulam Dastagir 2-19).
Khyber Greens Fata beat Hong Kong Academy by 19 runs.
KHYBER GREENS 160-7 in 20 overs (Saeed Afridi 34, Almar Afridi 33; Irfan Ahmed 3-27); HONG KONG ACADEMY 141 in 19.2 overs (Imran Ghani 52, Nadeem Ahmed 23; Aslam Afridi 3-13, Asif Khan 3-23).
Al-Noor Gymkhana bt Combined CC Faisalabad eight wickets.
COMBINED CC 90 in 20 overs (Imran Ali 30, Imran Dona 25, Jalat Khan 3-14, Junaid Zia 2-16); AL-NOOR GYMKHANA 91-2 in 10.3 overs (Naveed Malik 44).—APP
