LAHORE Lions displayed splendid teamwork when they prevailed over Sialkot Stallions by 46 runs to qualify for the Faysal Bank National One-day Cup final at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

In a rain-marred first semi-final which was reduced to 44-overs-a-side affair midway through the first innings and decided by the Duckworth-Lewis Method, the Lions outplayed their opponents largely due to valuable contributions from mostly relatively unfamiliar names.

The loss of their skipper Azhar Ali, the Pakistan Test right-hander, in the third over for a four-ball duck didn’t create panic in the Lions’ change-room as young Umar Siddique impressed yet again in his maiden domestic season with an attractive 59 — which in the end was the highest individual score of the match.

The Lions’ cause was helped by laidback approach of Stallions captain Mansoor Amjad who had opted to bowl first upon winning the toss with just one specialist pace bowler — Bilawal Bhatti — included in the playing XI on a pitch that favoured seam bowling early on.

Umar, the 20-year-old left-handed opener whose late father Siddique Khan officiated in five One-day Internationals as an umpire and older siblings Kashif and Khurram both have had played on the Pakistan top domestic circuit, set the tone by striking nine boundaries during his 68-ball knock.

After Umar departed in the 21st over with the total on 93, Pakistan discard Usman Salahuddin (44 off 76 balls, three fours) and Fahad-ul-Haq, who slammed four boundaries in a run-ball contribution of 32, consolidated the innings in a partnership of 60 until both were dismissed in the space of three deliveries.

The fourth significant individual effort, that tilted the balance heavily in favour of the Lions, was provided by all-rounder Hafiz Saad Nasim. The 22-year-old bludgeoned an undefeated 55 from 44 balls and smashed three of his four sixes in the last over of the innings delivered by slow left-armer Nayyar Abbas who had taken three for 18 in eight previous overs but conceded 20 runs to end up with 3-38.

The Lions totalled 232 all out in their 44 overs. However, the Stallions under the D/L Method were given a revised target of 239 after rain interrupted the match during the Lions’ innings.

Such was the impact made by Saad, who also hit four fours, that he was later adjudicated as the joint recipient of the Man-of-the-Match award with newcomer Qaiser Ashraf, the 18-year-old slow left-armer who grabbed four wickets for 33 in a career-best performance later in the evening.

As far as the Stallions’ bowling is concerned Bilawal, like Nayyar, claimed three wickets for 40 while off-spinner Bilal Asif had figures of one for 36 in nine overs.

But the batsmen badly let the Stallions down as Azhar shrewdly rotated his bowlers to dismiss them for 192 in the penultimate over of the game. Medium-pacer Asif Raza bagged the important scalps of opener Mukhtar Ahmed (15) and Mansoor Amjad (7). The Stallions then lost Yasir Aziz in the 19th over for 25 (45 balls, two fours) before Qaiser sent back the vastly experienced Mohammad Ayub Dogar, trapped leg-before for six.

The departure of the experienced Shahid Yousuf in the 27th over was virtually the last nail in the Stallions’ coffin when Asif Raza got one to move in sharply to have the diminutive right-hander caught in front of the stumps for a 48-ball 40 (three boundaries).

Ali Khan, known for his big hitting, made one last-ditch attempt to thwart the Lions’ victory charge with a couple of lusty blows in his 36 off 40 balls (two fours), but it was too late by then.

The Lions, bidding to clinch their second limited-overs title in the current season after having won the National Twenty20 Cup last December in their hometown, now await the winners of the other semi-final between Karachi’s outfits — Dolphins and Zebras — who clash on Thursday

The final of the tournament is scheduled for Saturday.