Advance Telecom cruise into KG Ramazan Twenty20 final

KARACHI: Advance Telecom cruised into the final of the Omar Associates Karachi Gymkhana Ramazan Festival Twenty20 as they outgunned Dollar East by five wickets in the first semi-final here at the Karachi Gymkhana on Thursday.

The 108-run opening partnership in 10 overs between Awais Zia (56 off 31 balls) and Bilal Shah (52 off 30 balls) got Dollar East, who batted first after winning the toss, off to a flying start.

But Advance Telecom pulled it back through the spin duo of Samiullah (2-19) and Khurshid Afridi (2-29) to restrict their opponents to 177 for five in 20 overs.

Advance Telecom remained ahead of the clock because of opener Mukhtar Ahmed, who clobbered six sixes and eight fours in his whirlwind 84 off 40 balls.

He was adjudged Man of the Match as his team reached the target with a couple of overs to spare. Ramiz Aziz finished it off in style with a breezy unbeaten 36 off 21 balls.

In the last quarter-final, opener Hafiz Asad’s unbeaten century powered Tapal Cricket Club to a 13-run victory over hosts Karachi Gymkhana.

Unlike the previous three quarters it was a high-scoring battle. Hafiz Asad smashed three sixes and 11 fours in his 106 off 61 balls, while Zakir Malik (45 off 13 balls) and Hamza Ghanchi (47 off 31 balls) also whacked the leather to help Tapal CC post a formidable total of 232 for 4 in 20 overs.

Karachi Gymkhana replied befittingly despite losing a couple of early wickets. Mohammad Mohsin (61 off 32 balls) and Tayyab Tahir (30 off 11 balls) threw caution to the wind but the spin duo of Hamza Ghanchi (3-33) and Wasim Ali (3-44) ran through the middle and the hosts finished with 219 for nine despite last man Khurram Humayun’s unbeaten 37 off 14 balls.