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Home favourites Dolphins did well to restrict a strong Stallions side to 149-7 in their allotted 20 overs but their chase fell apart with quick dismissals in a thrilling second semi-final.
Stallions got of to a blistering start as Imran Nazir scored 20 runs in the first two overs which included three fours and a six over deep square leg. However, Nazir retired hurt with his side on 30 after getting struck by a Tanvir Ahmed delivery.
The steam was taken out of the Stallions' surge in Nazir's absence and with the quick dismissal of three wickets. Sialkot captain Shoaib Malik then combined with the lower order to put up a competitive total on what appeared to be a batsman-friendly track. Malik scored 40 off 32 balls as he hit a four and a six to end the Stallions' innings.
Dolphins' innings was full of drama as their run-chase varied on an over-to-over basis. Shahzaib Hasan hit Test bowler Mohammad Asif for two sixes and two fours in the first over and then fell to Abdul Razzaq in the second. He was soon followed by his less flamboyant opening partner Khalid Latif, who edged a good-length delivery on the last ball of the same over.
Dolphins' chances of making the finals seemed to be fading away when they lost two more batsmen in the following over. Out came Shahid Afridi to a highly vocal welcome by the NSK crowd and scored 16 runs in the first over he faced. He scored 12 more in the next over before getting caught out at extra cover off Asif. Afridi's 11-ball-29 ensured Dolphins' runrate remained within grasp but left the home side reeling at 53-5. It was then left to Fawad Alam and Sheharyar Ghani to rebuild Dolhphins' innings with ones and twos. However, with Karachi needing 39 to win from 34 balls, Ghani and Alam had departed, so had chunks of the NSK crowd.
Karachi captain Mohammad Sami then brought his side close to the target with help from Tanvir Ahmed. With 11 runs required off the last over-and-a-half with one wicket in hand, Sami flicked a fuller delivery from Rana Naved to fine leg for a couple but failed to complete the second run before Adeel Malik and Shakeel Ansar combined to run him out. Asif was man-of-the-match with figured of 3-37, while Razzaq and Sarfraz Ahmed took two wickets each.
Less drama and change of fortunes was seen in the first semi-final as Faisalabad Wolves posted a huge total with help from Mohammad Hafeez, who scored the current tournament's first century. Hafeez struck a massive 18 boundaries (16 fours, two sixes) in his 53-ball ton as he and fellow opener Asif Hussain (54) put on a first wicket partnership of 117. Wolves finished with 211-5 after Ali Waqas also chipped in with 28 runs and Wahab Riaz took 3-32 for Lahore Lions.
Lions faced an uphill task from the beginning and the required runrate remained above 10 throughout the match. A blistering 42-run partnership between captain Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal set the pace for the chase and after Kamran's eventual dismissal (he was dropped on 8), his brother Umar scored a quick-fire 17 before getting bowled by Hafeez. Butt's consistent hitting and 42-ball-59 were not enough for the Lions, who fell short by 45 runs. Asad Ali and Shahid Nazir took two wickets apiece for Wolves.
The final between Wolves and Stallions will be played at National Stadium Karachi on Sunday at 8.p.m PST.
