KARACHI Sialkot Stallions, maintaining their 100 per cent record, became the first side to qualify for the RBS National One-day Cup semi-finals with a close three-wicket victory against Islamabad Leopards in Sialkot on Tuesday.
The Stallions' fourth successive win in Group 'C' was set up by slow left-armer Nayyar Abbas who claimed 4-30 in 10 overs as the Leopards were dismissed for 200 at the Jinnah Stadium.
Shahzad Malik (50) and Adeel Malik (47) then added 103 for the fifth wicket to put the Stallions on winning path after the hosts lost the first four wickets for 54 runs.
In the same pool, Rawalpindi Rams whipped Faisalabad Wolves by 108 runs in Sargodha to end the latter's hopes of qualifying.
Meanwhile, Karachi Dolphins suffered a heartbreaking one-wicket defeat at the hands of Multan Tigers at the Rashid Latif Cricket Academy Ground in Korangi to leave them in a difficult situation in Thursday's last round Group 'A' tie against Hyderabad Hawks.
The Dolphins not just have to beat the Hawks by a large margin, but also hoping that Peshawar Panthers do them a huge favour by defeating the Tigers convincingly to go through to the last-four phase of the tournament on a better run-rate. The Hawks, inspired by opener Sharjeel Khan's 109 (103 balls, 13 fours and four sixes), clinched a four-wicket win against Quetta Bears in Hyderabad.
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) recorded their third straight success in Group 'D' as they decimated Pakistan Customs by nine wickets in Multan.
Opener Naeemuddin was SNGPL's star with an undefeated 105 (110 balls, 10 boundaries). Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq slammed 75 (72 balls, seven fours and a brace of sixes) in the unbroken partnership of 147 with the left-handed Naeemuddin as SNGPL effortlessly reached a target of 232 in the 42nd over.
Wapda also raised their slim hopes of reaching the semi-finals from this pool with a four-wicket defeat of ZTBL in Bahawalpur.
Our Sports Reporter adds from Lahore National Bank and Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) are involved in a keen tussle to reach the semi-finals from Group 'B' after both won on Tuesday.
National Bank were simply too powerful for the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) whom they thrashed by seven wickets with no less than 35 overs to spare at the Gaddafi Stadium.
SSGC rued their decision to bat first after winning the toss and bundled out for 111 in the 38th over. Leg-spinner Mansoor Amjad returned flattering analysis of three wickets for three runs in 2.3 overs.
Discarded Pakistan wicket-keeper/batsman Kamran Akmal blasted 45 off 22 balls to lead National Bank home.
KRL won a rain-hit fixture against Karachi Zebras by six wickets in Rawalpindi. The Zebras made 170-7 in the adjusted quota of 28 overs before KRL overtook them by making 171-4 in 26.3 overs. Opener Azhar Ali hit an 83-ball 85 with eight fours and one six.
Habib Bank's semi-final hopes were dashed as their match against Lahore Eagles in Islamabad saw no play at all because of rain.
Lahore Lions ended a run of three consecutive losses in Group 'C' by beating Abbottabad Rhinos at the LCCA Ground by 68 runs.
Results
Group 'A'
At Rashid Latif Cricket Academy, Korangi Multan Tigers beat Karachi Dolphins by one wicket.
KARACHI DOLPHINS 164 in 43.5 overs (Mirza Adnan Baig 42, Javed Mansoor 40 not out; Faisal Elahi 4-33, Rizwan Haider 3-33, Mohammad Hafeez Jr 2-22); MULTAN TIGERS 165-9 in 43.3 overs (Rizwan Haider 32; Mohammad Sami 3-26, Azam Hussain 2-38, Rumman Raees Khan 2-38).
At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad Hyderabad Hawks beat Quetta Bears by four wickets.
QUETTA BEARS 243-8 in 50 overs (Taimur Ali 81, Sabir Hussain 53; Ghulam Yasin 3-65, Zahid Mahmood 2-38, Lal Kumar 2-44);
HYDERABAD HAWKS 244-6 in 47.3 overs (Sharjeel Khan 109, Shahid Qambrani 55 not out; Arun Lal 2-54).
Group 'B'
At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore National Bank beat SSGC by seven wickets.
SSGC 111 in 37.3 overs (Azeem Ghumman 54; Mansoor Amjad 3-3, Sarmad Bhatti 2-21, Wasim Khan 2-24); NATIONAL BANK 115-3 in 15 overs (Kamran Akmal 45; Adnan Malik 2-22).
At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi KRL beat Karachi Zebras by six wickets.
KARACHI ZEBRAS 170-7 in 28 overs (Yasir Ali 3-42); KRL 171-4 in 26.3 overs (Azhar Ali 85; Osama Basharat 2-35, Malik Aftab 2-35).
At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad Habib Bank v Lahore Eagles — no play because of rain.
Group 'C'
At LCCA Ground, Lahore Lahore Lions beat Abbottabad Rhinos by 68 runs.
LAHORE LIONS 228 in 49.5 overs (Rana Adnan 55, Junaid Zia 43; Inam Khan 3-40, Armaghan Elahi 2-32, Mohammad Junaid Khan 2-35, Shakeel Shah 2-49); ABBOTTABAD RHINOS 160 in 38.4 overs (Ghulam Mohammad 45; Waqas Ahmed 2-21, Yasir Ajmal 2-21, Usman Malik 2-22, Saad Nasim 2-23, Mohammad Naved 2-30).
At Sports Stadium, Sargodha Rawalpindi Rams beat Faisalabad Wolves by 108 runs.
RAWALPINDI RAMS 305-9 in 50 overs (Babar Naeem 74, Naved Malik 67; Hasan Mahmood 4-62, Adnan Munir 2-46, Aqeel Ahmed 2-47); FAISALABAD WOLVES 197 in 42 overs (Zeeshan Asif 64, Mohammad Shahid 52; Naveed Qureshi 2-29, Faisal Iqbal 2-35).
At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot Sialkot Stallions beat Islamabad Leopards by three wickets.
ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 200 in 49.4 overs (Zeeshan Mushtaq 47; Nayyar Abbas 4-30, Mohammad Ali 2-52); SIALKOT STALLIONS 204-7 in 36.3 overs (Shahid Malik 50, Adeel Malik 47; Shahzad Azam 4-45).
Group 'D'
At Multan Cricket Stadium SNGPL beat Pakistan Customs by nine wickets.
PAKISTAN CUSTOMS 231 in 49.5 overs (Ramiz Aziz 58, Jibran Khan 53, Hanif Malik 40; Samiullah Khan Niazi 3-25, Khurram Shahzad 2-23, Imran Ali 2-60); SNGPL 232-1 in 41.4 overs (Naeemuddin 105 not out, Misbah-ul-Haq 75 not out, Ali Waqas 50).
At Bahawalpur Stadium Wapda beat ZTBL by four wickets.
ZTBL 210 in 49.5 overs (Atif Ashraf 66; Imranullah 2-36, Umaid Asif 2-51); WAPDA 214-6 in 37.4 overs (Jahangir Mirza 56; Rehan Riaz 3-57).
