KARACHI: Multan Tigers, inspired by superb spin bowling from Zulfiqar Babar, scored a 14-run victory over Karachi Dolphins in a Group ‘B’ fixture of the Faysal Bank Super Eight Twenty20 cricket tournament at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Sunday.

Slow left-armer stifled Dolphins’ run chase with figures of four wickets for 14 runs after the Tigers had made 161-6 after opting to bat first in the first game of the evening.

Chasing 162, the Dolphins were cruising along nicely at 96-1 in the 12th over. Zulfiqar, however, pegged them back with the vital scalp of opener Khalid Latif who struck 51 off 50 deliveries with the aid of five fours and one six.

Rameez Raja contributed a 33-ball 40 that featured five fours and a six while sharing a second-wicket partnership of 85 with Khalid. The Dolphins finally limped to 147-9.

Earlier, Zain Abbas played a key role for the Tigers. The opener slammed 10 fours and three sixes in making 85 from 65 balls.

Meanwhile, openers Ahmed Shehzad and Nasir Jamshed struck half-centuries while helping Lahore Lions to a 45-run victory over Sialkot Stallions in the Group ‘A’ night fixture on Saturday.

Ahmed blasted 11 fours and a brace of sixes in scoring 74 off 47 balls, while the left-handed Nasir was even more aggressive in striking five fours and three sixes in a 27-ball knock of 55.

The duo shared a first-wicket stand worth 128 that eventually helped the Lions amass 218-6. Umar Akmal put the finishing touches to the innings with an unbeaten 43 from 23 balls. The Pakistan star laced his knock with four fours and two sixes.

The openers were particularly severe on young paceman Sarmad Anwar who conceded as many as 81 runs from his four overs.

The Stallions, in reply, were all out for 173 with Ali Khan (67 off 37 balls, six sixes and four fours) and Imran Nazir (44 off 23 balls, five sixes and two sixes) being the major run-getters.

Results:Multan Tigers beat Karachi Dolphins by14 runs.

MULTAN TIGERS 161-6 in 20 overs (Zain Abbas 85, Gulraiz Sadaf 20; Haris Ayaz 2-25, Sohail Khan 2-32); KARACHI DOLPHINS 147-9 in 20- overs (Khalid Latif 51, Rameez Raja 40; Zulfiqar Babar 4-18, Mohammad Irfan 2-24).Lahore Lions beat Sialkot Stallions by 45 runs.

LAHORE LIONS 218-6 in 20 overs: (Ahmed Shahzad 74, Nasir Jamshed 55, Umar Akmal 43 not out; Umaid Asif 3-34, Abdur Rehman 2-20); SIALKOT STALLIONS 173 in 19.2 overs: (Ali Khan 67, Imran Nazir 44; Imran Ali 3-11, Saad Nasim 3-23, Adnan Rasool 2-29).