RAWALPINDI: Lahore Blues took another giant stride towards the semi-finals of the qualifying stage of the Cool & Cool presents Haier T20 Cup on Wednesday when they handed Quetta a crushing nine-wicket defeat here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.

Lahore Blues, who had strolled to an emphatic 82-run win against Azad Jammu Kashmir on Tuesday’s opening day of the qualifying competition, eased to their second victory to head Group ‘B’ standings. Their last pool fixture is against Larkana on Friday night.

When this report was filed in, the game between Larkana — winners against Quetta on Tuesday — and Azad Jammu Kashmir was in progress.

Quetta captain Jalat Khan was left to rue his decision to bat first after winning the toss. In 19.1 overs, his team mustered a meagre tally of 100 all out.

All-rounder Arun Lal was the top scorer with 24 off 19 balls. He hit two fours and one six. Jalat himself scored 17, while Gohar Faiz (10) was the only batsman to enter double figures.

Agha Salman, the off-spinning all-rounder, bagged his second successive three-wicket haul. Following a career-best 3-17 against Azad Jammu Kashmir, the 21-year-old snared 3-20 from his four overs to claim the man-of-the-match award.

Lanky paceman Ataullah also returned his best T20 figures as he took 3-13. After dismissing both openers, Zubair Khan and Bismillah Khan, in a fiery three-over burst, he came back to terminate Quetta’s innings with Abid Ali pulling off a spectacular diving catch in the deep to get rid of last man Sher Hasan.

Apart from Abid’s tumbling effort, Lahore Blues held several other excellent catches as Quetta batsmen in desperation attempted unnecessary big shots.

Lahore Blues faced no hiccups during the run chase. Skipper Adnan Akmal was the only casualty after having promoted himself to open the innings alongside Imam-ul-Haq.

Adnan was dismissed in a bizarre fashion when he was given out obstructing the field after scoring 12 from 15 balls. He tried to prevent paceman Sher Hasan from running him out.

Sami Aslam then joined the well-set Imam to add 54 for the unbroken second-wicket stand. Imam hit six boundaries in making 57 from 41 balls, while fellow left-hander Sami finished with 27 (28 balls, two fours).

Bahawalpur, earlier, launched their Group ‘B’ campaign with a thrilling three-run victory over Dera Murad Jamali in the first match of the day.

Despite totalling a modest 130-6 after their skipper Kamran Hussain had won the toss, Bahawalpur restricted Dera Murad Jamali to 127-7 in reply.

Faisal Mubashir’s maiden T20 half-century was the cornerstone of Bahawalpur’s innings as the 28-year-old scored more than half of the team’s runs.

While wickets fell at the other end, Faisal remained calm to strike seven fours in his undefeated 42-ball 66.

And although there were no notable partnerships to speak of, Faisal and wicket-keeper Waqas Khan (11) added 35 for the unbroken seventh-wicket which eventually proved to be the highest of the match.

Imran Khan and Nasir Khan were best of the Dera Murad Jamali bowling with two wickets each. But their heroics proved premature as their side failed to get over the line.

Dera Murad Jamali needed just six runs for victory but only managed two while losing two wickets in the process. Nasir (33 off 31 balls, one six) was run out by man-of-the-match Faisal Mubashir on the first ball before the very next delivery saw Kamran running out Imran.

Shahbaz Ali (32 off 28, five fours) and Najeebullah, who put on 59 for the sixth wicket with Nasir, were other major run-getters. Najeebullah slammed three fours and one six in making 33 off 26 balls.

Mohammad Imran claimed two wickets for 22 runs while former international Kamran was also tidy in taking one for 22 with his gentle seamers.

On Tuesday night, the fancied Karachi Blues survived a close call before completing a seven-run success against Fata in a pulsating Group ‘B’ encounter.

Shahzaib Hasan scored his 14th T20 half-century to help Karachi Blues post 153-7 after Fata skipper Fawad Khan elected to field first at the toss.

Man-of-the-match Shahzaib hammered 53 off 44 balls with three fours and two sixes. The opener shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 50 with Fawad Alam (32 off 30, three boundaries).

Pakistan ODI and T20 vice-captain Sarfraz Ahmed hit three fours in making 24 off 14 balls.

Paceman Mohammad Sarwar marked his T20 debut with 4-32.

Fawad Khan played a captain’s knock as he scored 39 (35 balls, three fours and two sixes).

All-rounder Khushdil Shah, who had earlier taken 1-17 in four overs, batted with gusto to take Fata near the target but when he fell to leg-spinner Shahzaib Ahmed Khan for 33 (27 balls, two fours and one six), Fata had lost the plot.

Wednesday’s qualifying-round results:

Group ‘A’:

Lahore Blues beat Quetta by nine wickets.

QUETTA 100 in 19.1 overs (Arun Lal 24; Ataullah 3-13, Agha Salman 3-20, Raza Ali Dar 2-10); LAHORE BLUES 101-1 in 14 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 57 not out, Sami Aslam 27 not out).

Group ‘B’:

Bahawalpur beat Dera Murad Jamali by three runs.

BAHAWALPUR 130-6 in 20 overs (Faisal Mubashir 66 not out, Mohammad Yasir 21; Nasir Khan 2-27, Imran Khan 2-29); DERA MURAD JAMALI 127-7 in 20 overs (Nasir Khan 33, Najeebullah 33, Shahbaz Ali 32; Mohammad Imran 2-22).

Tuesday’s remaining result:

Group ‘B’:

Karachi Blues beat Fata by eight runs.

KARACHI BLUES 153-7 in 20 overs (Shahzaib Hasan 53, Fawad Alam 32, Sarfraz Ahmed 24 not out, Khurram Manzoor 21; Mohammad Sarwar 4-32); FATA 145-7 in 20 overs (Fawad Khan 39, Khushdil Shah 33; Anwar Ali 2-29, Rumman Raees Khan 2-38).

Thursday’s fixtures: Karachi Blues vs Dera Murad Jamali (12:00noon); Bahawalpur vs Fata (4:00pm); Quetta vs Azad Jammu Kashmir (8:00pm).

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2015

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