LAHORE: Bahawalpur Stags, Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup debutants, produced another stunning display to pull off a sensational two-wicket victory over fancied Karachi Dolphins here at the Bagh-i-Jinnah Ground on Monday.

The new regional side not only chalked up their third consecutive victory, but also compounded the Dolphins’ hopes of reaching the semi-finals from Group ‘B’ since the latest defeat was the second on the trot for Shahid Afridi’s star-studded outfit.

The Stags, who now take a well-earned break until Wednesday when they face Lahore Eagles, have suddenly emerged as serious contenders for the knockout phase of the event.

In other matches on day three of the competition, Abbottabad Falcons survived a close shave before edging past Islamabad Leopards off the penultimate ball of the Group ‘A’ match, while the likes of reigning champions Sialkot Stallions, Lahore Lions, Faisalabad Wolves and Lahore Eagles all won with ease.

The Stags, who won against Rawalpindi Rams and Peshawar Panthers in their early fixtures, successfully chased a 153-run target with three balls to spare. Opener Imranullah Aslam set the tone with a 32-ball 48 that included seven boundaries and one six.

Afridi, the Dolphins captain, bagged two wickets for 16 runs in four overs, but the former Pakistan skipper had earlier perished for a golden duck when he was bowled by paceman Mohammad Talha.

Wicket-keeper Amin-ur-Rehman (44 off 23 balls, six fours and one six) and Fawad Alam (43 off 38, two fours and one six) were main scorers for the Dolphins who made 152-6. Talha took three for 43, while spinner Ataullah claimed 2-17.

The Stallions completed a miserable day for Karachi teams by galloping to an eight-wicket rout of the Zebras at the Gaddafi Stadium. This Group ‘A’ match was dominated by the Malik brothers.

Younger brother Adeel captured three for 19 in four overs with his leg-spinners as the Zebras made 111-5 before Shoaib registered his second straight half-century as the Stallions cruised home with 20 deliveries to spare. The captain struck exactly 50 (off 31 balls with four fours and two sixes) in the unbroken stand of 74 with Haris Sohail (34 off 44, three boundaries).

The Lions, the other big team in Group ‘A’, scored more than nine an over to post 182-4 against Multan Tigers at the Bagh-i-Jinnah. Ahmed Shehzad made his presence felt with a 57-ball 68 (nine fours). But the innings of the day came from exuberant Test batsman Umar Akmal who bashed four sixes and five fours in his unbeaten 21-ball 55 after arriving midway through the 15th over.

The Tigers responded spiritedly to the daunting chase but their inexperienced let them down in the end as they finished at 152-5. Mohammad Hafeez, the Pakistan Twenty20 captain who again chose to hold himself back during his team’s batting, again bowled tidily to take 1-22.

The Panthers capitulated to their third successive defeat in Group ‘B’ when the Eagles overwhelmed them by 76 runs at the LCCA Ground. Imran Farhat was the top-scorer for the third time in as many matches by hammering 10 boundaries in his 45-ball 68 as the Eagles reached 162-8. Left-arm paceman Waqar Ahmed bagged three for 36.

But the Panthers were badly let down by their batting which mustered just 86-8.

In the same pool the Wolves also won without problems as they cruised to an eight-wicket victory against Hyderabad Hawks who struggled to 97-8 against the likes of Saeed Ajmal (2-14), Asad Ali (2-21) and the surprise bowler in the Wolves ranks Khurram Shehzad (2-18).

Opener Farrukh Shahzad (57 off 51 balls, nine fours) and Naved Latif (34) completed the last rites of the match by adding 74 in the unfinished third-wicket partnership.

The Falcons had to rely on their experienced captain Younis Khan to sneak home by two wickets on the second last ball of a pulsating encounter at the Gaddafi Stadium. The ex-Pakistan skipper kept his cool in making 38 (43 balls, two fours and one six) before finishing the match with a four off Sajid Ali.

Meanwhile, Test fast bowler Umar Gul was the driving force which enabled the Leopards to make their rivals fight for every run after opener Mir Azam had all but taken the sealed the game with a 35-ball 59 (10 fours and two sixes).

Umar, who dismissed Mir Azam, ended up with splendid figures of 4-21.

Earlier, Imad Wasim hit 45 off 32 balls (five fours and one) as the Leopards recovered from 66-5 in the 13th over to reach 116-8.

Results: Lahore Eagles beat Peshawar Panthers by 76 runs at LCCA Ground.

LAHORE EAGLES 162-8 in 20 overs (Imran Farhat 68, Azhar Ali 26; Waqar Ahmed 3-36, Aslam Qureshi 2-25); PESHAWAR PANTHERS 86-8 in 20 overs (Israrullah 22; Mohammad Khalil 2-6, Saad Nasim 2-26).Bahawalpur Stags beat Karachi Dolphins by two wickets at Bagh-e-Jinnah.

KARACHI DOLPHINS 152-6 in 20 overs (Amin-ur-Rehman 44, Fawad Alam 43, Khalid Latif 29 not out; Mohammad Talha 3-43, Ataullah 2-17); BAHAWALPUR STAGS 153-8 in 19.3 overs (Imranullah Aslam 48; Shahid Afridi 2-16).

Abbottabad Falcons beat Islamabad Leopards by two wickets at Gaddafi Stadium.

ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 116-8 in 20 overs (Imad Wasim 45; Amjad Waqas 3-21, Khalid Usman 2-25); ABBOTTABAD FALCONS 120-8 in 19.5 overs (Mir Azam 59, Younis Khan 38 not out; Umar Gul 4-21, Zohaib Ahmed 2-28).

Faisalabad Wolves beat Hyderabad Hawks by eight wickets at LCCA Ground.

HYDERABAD HAWKS 97-8 in 20 overs (Rizwan Ahmed 41; Saeed Ajmal 2-14, Khurram Shehzad 2-18, Asad Ali 2-21); FAISALABAD WOLVES 101-2 in 16.1 overs (Farrukh Shahzad 57 not out, Naved Latif 34 not out).

Lahore Lions beat Multan Tigers by 30 runs at Bagh-i-Jinnah.

LAHORE LIONS 182-4 in 20 overs (Ahmed Shehzad 68, Umar Akmal 55 not out, Kamran Akmal 31, Nasir Jamshed 21); MULTAN TIGERS 152-5 in 20 overs (Saeed Anwar Jr 39, Gulraiz Sadaf 38, Sohaib Maqsood 35).

Sialkot Stallions beat Karachi Zebras by eight wickets at Gaddafi Stadium.

KARACHI ZEBRAS 111-5 in 20 overs (Daniyal Ahsan 24 not out, Faisal Iqbal 22, Rameez Aziz 21, Rameez Raja 21; Adeel Malik 3-22); SIALKOT STALLIONS 112-2 in 16.4 overs (Shoaib Malik 50 not out, Haris Sohail 34 not out).

Tuesday’s fixtures: Lahore Lions v Islamabad Leopards (LCCA Ground, 9:30am); Peshawar Panthers v Hyderabad Hawks (Bagh-i-Jinnah, 9:30am); Abbottabad Falcons v Multan Tigers (Gaddafi Stadium, 12:00pm); Karachi Zebras v Quetta Bears (LCCA Ground, 1:15pm); Rawalpindi Rams v Faisalabad Wolves (Bagh-i-Jinnah, 1:15pm); Karachi Dolphins v Lahore Eagles (Gaddafi Stadium, 4:00pm).