LAHORE: Bahawalpur Stags and Faisalabad Wolves joined Lahore Lions in the semi-finals of the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 after both clinched their fifth consecutive victories in Group ‘B’ here on Thursday.

Newcomers Stags booked their last-four spot by defeating Hyderabad Hawks by 11 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium, while the Wolves sealed their place after beating Karachi Dolphins by two wickets in a thrilling last-ball finish at the Bagh-i-Jinnah with their captain Misbah-ul-Haq making the big difference.

Both the qualified teams — who have 10 points each — from this pool will clash on Friday afternoon at the Gaddafi Stadium for top spot in the group.

Defending champions Sialkot Stallions, meanwhile, will need to beat the Lions at the Gaddafi Stadium in the last of the league matches to ensure their passage into the semi-finals from Group ‘A’.

If Shoaib Malik’s Stallions lose, Multan Tigers or Abbottabad Falcons will also come into reckoning if both of them succeed in winning their last league fixtures by substantial margins to improve their respective net run-rates.

The Stallions, who sensationally lost to the Tigers by 42 runs on Wednesday, bounced back to chalk up a 34-run victory over the Falcons at the Bagh-e-Jinnah.

Haris Sohail, yet again underlined his potential by striking six fours and three in a superb undefeated 62 from 43 deliveries while dominating the fourth-wicket partnership of 79 with Shoaib Malik (33 off 24 balls, four fours) which helped the Stallions make 164-6.

Pakistan paceman Junaid Khan was the best of Falcons’ bowlers with three for 22 from his four overs.

The Falcons made a solid start to the chase when Hammad Ali (33 off 45 balls, three fours) and Yasir Hameed (37 off 33, three fours) added 71 for the second wicket but the tragic run out of skipper Younis Khan (10) in the 16th over cost them dearly as the Falcons struggled to 130-7.

Former international Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who had earlier scored 27, claimed two for 26.

Ali Haider (40 off 26 balls, five fours and one six), Usman Tariq (34 off 26, two sixes and as many fours) and skipper Bilal Khilji (37 not out from 27 balls, three fours and one six) were the major contributors in Stags’ total of 154-7 against the Hawks.

The Hawks, in reply, stumbled to their fifth loss on the trot after a bright start when Azeem Ghumman (34 off 33 balls, five boundaries) and Sharjeel Khan (28 off 21, six fours) put on 44 in the powerplay overs. In the end, they got 143-8 with Bilal, Kamran Hussain and Mohammad Talha all picking up two wickets apiece.

Khurram Manzoor struck 51 off 41 balls with eight fours and useful runs from Khalid Latif (23 off 19) and wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed (a 23-ball 29 not out) guided Shahid Afridi’s Dolphins to 147-6, while upcoming fast bowler Ehsan Adil made a startling Twenty20 debut with four for 28 in four overs.

The Wolves’ response was shaky with three wickets falling for 46 runs at the start of the ninth over. Thereafter, the Dolphins bowlers continue to take wickets until Misbah took charge to guide his team home. The former Pakistan Twenty20 captain displayed usual calmness in striking four fours and three sixes on his way to a priceless innings of 72 from 47 balls.

Afridi, who again failed with the bat when he was out for three, took two for 22 and off-spinner Misbah Khan 3-44, while Sarfraz made three stumpings.

Fast bowler Rahat Ali returned career-best figures of 4-15 in 3.5 overs as the Tigers upstaged Karachi Zebras by 17 runs at the LCCA Ground. Chasing 141, the Zebras folded up for 123 with Javed Mansoor making a 24-ball 35 that included a trio of sixes and no boundary.

Saeed Anwar Jr, the Tigers captain, produced a fine all-round performance. After scoring a 22-ball 39 (five fours and one six) in his team’s total of 140-6, he claimed 3-22 with his useful slow left-armers.

Rawalpindi Rams thrived on a blazing opening stand of 135 between Awais Zia (54 off 36 balls, four sixes and four fours) and Naved Malik, who blasted seven sixes and five fours in a hurricane 77 from only 41 balls, to whip Lahore Eagles by eight wicket at the LCCA Ground.

After the Eagles reached 155-6 with Yasir Arafat taking 3-37, the Rams raced to victory midway through the 15th over.

Islamabad Leopards handed Quetta Bears their fifth successive defeat as they won by five wickets in the rather inconsequential Group ‘A’ match at the Gaddafi Stadium. Ex-international Rao Iftikhar excelled for the winning side with three wickets with the new ball.

Results: Multan Tigers beat Karachi Zebras by 17 runs at LCCA Ground.

MULTAN TIGERS 140-6 in 20 overs (Zain Abbas 46, Saeed Anwar Jr 39, Gulraiz Sadaf 22; Haris Ayaz 2-22, Faraz Ahmed Khan 2-25); KARACHI ZEBRAS 123 in 19.4 overs (Javed Mansoor 35, Rameez Aziz 29, Saeed bin Nasir 27; Rahat Ali 4-15, Saeed Anwar Jr 3-22, Mohammad Irfan 2-17).

Sialkot Stallions beat Abbottabad Falcons by 34 runs at Bagh-i-Jinnah.

SIALKOT STALLIONS 164-6 in 20 overs (Haris Sohail 62 not out, Shoaib Malik 33, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 27; Junaid Khan 3-22); ABBOTTABAD FALCONS 130-7 in 20 overs (Yasir Hameed 37, Hammad Ali 33; Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 2-26).

Bahawalpur Stags beat Hyderabad Hawks by 11 runs at Gaddafi Stadium.

BAHAWALPUR STAGS 154-7 in 20 overs (Ali Haider 40, Bilal Khilji 37 not out, Usman Tariq 34; Rehan Riaz 2-26, Kashif Bhatti 2-34); HYDERABAD HAWKS 143-8 in 20 overs (Azeem Ghumman 34, Sharjeel Khan 28, Zeeshan Gul 24, Lal Kumar 21; Bilal Khilji 2-24, Kamran Hussain 2-26, Mohammad Talha 2-40).

Rawalpindi Rams beat Lahore Eagles by eight wickets at LCCA Ground.

LAHORE EAGLES 155-5 in 20 overs (Saad Nasim 44 not out, Abid Ali 23, Sami Aslam 20; Yasir Arafat 3-37); RAWALPINDI RAMS 156-2 in 14.3 overs (Naved Malik 77, Awais Zia 54).

Faisalabad Wolves beat Karachi Dolphins by two wickets at Bagh-i-Jinnah.

KARACHI DOLPHINS 147-6 in 20 overs (Khurram Manzoor 51, Sarfraz Ahmed 29 not out, Khalid Latif 23; Ehsan Adil 4-28); FAISALABAD WOLVES 148-8 in 20 overs (Misbah-ul-Haq 72 not out; Misbah Khan 3-44, Shahid Afridi 2-22).

Islamabad Leopards beat Quetta Bears by five wickets at Gaddafi Stadium.

QUETTA BEARS 111-7 in 20 overs (Farhan Khan 32; Rao Iftikhar 3-11, Imad Wasim 2-29); ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 115-5 in 18.3 overs (Junaid Nadir 32, Bazid Khan 23).

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