Karachi Dolphins in final

LAHORE - Karachi Dolphins routed Islamabad Leopards by a comprehensive margin of nine wickets in the first semi-final of the RBS National Twenty20 Cup here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday night.
Leopards could make just 68 runs in 16 overs which was overhauled by Dolphins in 10.4 overs. The Dolphins would face the winner of Sialkot Stallions and Lahore Lions to be played later at night.
Fast bowler Sohail Khan and Malik Aftab damaged the Leopards batting line-up right from the start taking wicket after wicket till they were 45 for five and from where they left Tahir Khan and Shahid Afridi did the remaining damage.
Earlier, opening the attack, Anwer Ali, who has been selected in the Pakistan team for Canada, snared one.
Only three of the Leopards reached the double figures in which Umair Khan 17, Ashar Zaidi 14 and Naeem Anjum 13 speaks the dedication of Dolphins approach to the match.
When the time of chase came for Dolphins, they lost the only wicket of Khalid Latif who made 24 runs off 26. In his short innings of 36 minutes, he hit three fours.
While his opening partner, Khurrum Manzoor, who remained not out made 28 of 26 balls, hitting four boundaries and a mighty six and Naumanullah made nine to end the match.
The only wicket that Dolphins lost was an LBW decision in favour of bowler Rauf Khan.
Star batsman Mohammad Yousuf though failed to come among the runs but he led Lahore Lions to the semi-finals of the RBS National Twenty20 Cup which beat Rawalpindi Rams by 21 runs here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Monday night.
A crispy thriller led to Lahore Lions facing Sialkot Stallions in the semi-final.
A mini collapse of the top order following a first wicket stand between Salman Butt and Nasir Jamshed of 44 runs lifted Lions.
And later Kamran Akmal gave authority to the total with brisk 49. Loins were once reeling at 74 for five that also included Mohammad Yousuf who once again failed to impress with the bat and was run out due to lack of communication with young Umer Akmal. Whereas Ahmed Shehzad too went cheaply. Kamran then held the crease for his 49 and Waqas Ahmed's 22 knit the gap with some amazing batting. Later Sohail Khan assisted Lions by adding quick 24 to put Lions a decent total of 171.
Rams responded firmly and thrashed Lions with a solid partnership of 79 from openers Umar Amin and Babar Naeem, leaving Lions in a desperate situation. But with the fall of both the wickets Rams rammed into defeat making 150 runs in 20 overs losing seven wickets, 21 short of Lions total.
LEOPARDS VS DOLPHINS
ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS INNING     R     B     4s     6s
Raheel Majeed lbw b Sohail    0     9     0     0
Umair Khan c Sarfraz b Aftab     17     19     1     0
Bazid Khan b Sohail    0     2     0     0
Afaq Raheem c Sarfraz b Anwar    2     4     0     0
Ashar Zaidi c Afridi b Aftab     14     20     0     0