Faisalabad Wolves, Karachi Dolphins grab places in semis

KARACHI Faisalabad Wolves and Karachi Dolphins grabbed berths in the semi-finals of the RBS T20 Cricket Cup scoring easy wins over respective opponents here on Friday night at the National Stadium.
Faisalabad Wolves defeated Islamabad Leopards by seven wickets and Karachi Dolphins scored nine wicket-win over Lahore Eagles in the last league match of the championship.
In the first match, Islamabad Leopards chose to bat first but their hopes to muster a good winnable total ended in shatters and its innings folded at low 103, two balls short of the quota of 20 overs.
Faisalabad Wolves bowlers Asad Ali (2/21), Khurram Shahzad (2/10) and Saeed Ajmal (4/20) ran through Islamabad innings. Fayyaz Ahmed finished with 20 and Faizan Ahmed 25.
It took Faisalabad Wolves 15.3 overs to reach the winning target of 106 for three. Asif Hussain contributed unbeaten 44, Ali Waqas 32. Imad Wasim took one for 22.
The second match of the night turned out to a totally one sided affair in which Karachi Dolphins blasted Lahore Eagles to nine wickets defeat.
Karachi Dolphins needed just 59 balls to race to winning total after bowling Lahore Eagles to 120 with Karachi captain Muhammad Sami taking three wickets for 27 and Shahid Afridi two for 20.
Captain Muhammad Samis decision to send Lahore Eagles in after winning the toss proved correct.
Despite having some reliable and hard hitting batsmen in the bating line up Lahore Eagles slumped. Imran Farhat scored 18 and Taufiq Umer top scored with 34.
Khalid Latifs unbeaten 75 in 37 balls made with the support of thirteen fours and two sixes took Karachi Dolphins to 124 in 9.5 overs for the loss of opener young Shahzeb Hasan who made 19.
Karachi Dolphins will face Sialkot Stallions and Faisalabad Wolves will face Lahore Lions in the semi-finals on Saturday night.
Summarised scores:
Karachi Dolphins beat Lahore Eagles by nine wickets.
Lahore Eagles: 120 in 18.2 overs (Imran Farhat 18, Taufiq Umar 34, 30 balls, 3 x4s, Jahangir Mirza 29, 27 balls, 2 x4s,1 x6s, Fahad Masood 23, 16 balls, 4 x4s, Mohammad Sami 3-27, Shahid Afridi 2-20)
Karachi Dolphins: 124-1 in 9.5 overs (Shahzeb Hasan 19, Khalid Latif 75*, 37 balls, 13 x4s, 2x6s, Sarfraz Ahmed 13*, 16 balls, Imran Farhat 1-18)
Man of the Match: Mohammad Sami (Karachi Dolphins)
Faisalabad Wolves beat Islamabad Leopards by seven wickets.
Islamabad: 103 in 19.4 overs (Fayyaz Ahmed 20, Faizan Ahmed 25, 21 balls, 2 x4s, Asad Ali 2-21, Khurram Shahzad 2-10, Saeed Ajmal 4-20)
Faisalabad Wolves: 106-3 in 15.3 overs (Asif Hussain 44*, 39 balls, 5 x4s, 1 x6s, Ali Waqas 32, 37 balls, 3 x4s, 1 x6s, Imad Wasim 1-22)
Man of the match: Saeed Ajmal (Faisalabad Wolves).