KARACHI: Skipper Salman Butt led from the front and pacer Umaid Asif pulled off his career-best figures to enable Lahore Whites to virtually qualify for the semi-finals when they put former champions Peshawar out of the event with a 27-run win in their game of the National T20 Cup at the Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi, on Tuesday.Salman played a captain’s knock of 85 not out, which guided Lahore Whites to pile up 163-4. Umaid picked 4-26 to dismiss Peshawar for 136.This was the fourth successive win for Lahore Whites. They are now at the top spot with nine points and have one match remaining. After opting to bat first, Salman and Test stumper Kamran Akmal (52) provided a rapid start of 85 off 63 balls, although the pitch was not easy for batting, especially in the beginning. This was the fourth successive fifty from Kamran, who hit five fours and three sixes from 40 balls. He is the first Pakistani batsman to do so in T20s.After Kamran fell, Salman stayed till the end, taking his side to a formidable total. Salman, who hit his second fifty of the event, played superb shots towards all sides. The left-hander, who has been playing domestic cricket for the last two years after serving a five-year suspension due to his involvement in spot-fixing, smashed 14 fours in his unfinished 58-ball knock. Kashif Bhatti (1-39), Kamran Ghulam (1-33) and speedster Sohail Khan (1-28) were the successful bowlers.In response, truncated Peshawar failed to put up any substantial resistance and were folded well away from the target in 19.3 overs. Left-hander Naved Yasin scored 28-ball 25 with two fours. Saif Badar made 25-ball 23 with one four. Sohail Khan (22) used long handle near the end, striking two sixes and one four in his brisk 12-ball innings. Asif Ali (2-17) and Test discard Ehsan Adil (2-21) also bowled well.Salman and Umaid were jointly declared men of the match.In the day-night show, Faisalabad notched up their third win from five outings when they put Rawalpindi out of contention, beating them by five wickets. Faisalabad are now second with seven points. The hero for Faisalabad was discarded international Sohaib Maqsood, who slammed his career-best 87 to enable his side to chase the 194-run target with one ball to spare after losing five wickets. Faisalabad required 12 runs from the last over, bowled by England-groomed pacer Adnan Ghaus. They needed one off the last two balls when international all-rounder Faheem Ashraf hit the right-armer for a glorious six to bring in a well-deserved victory. After losing openers Sahibzada Farhan (6) and Ali Waqas (0) in quick succession, Sohaib took the responsibility, dominating 52 runs third-wicket partnership with Gohar Ali (13). Sohaib smashed six sixes and nine fours in his quick-fire 43-ball feat. Sohaib’s contribution was strongly backed by Khurram Shehzad (52*) and Faheem Ashraf (26*) who put on 78 off 33 balls for the sixth-wicket unbroken partnership. Khurram smashed five fours and three sixes from 25 balls. Faheem smacked three sixes in his explosive ten-ball knock.Adnan Ghaus (2-62) and leggie Shadab Khan (2-23) were among the wickets. After opting to bat first, Rawalpindi amassed 193-7. After losing Ahsan Ali (14) early, skipper Umar Amin (67) and Zain Abbas (62) added 103 off 65 balls for the second wicket to set momentum. Amin, who is in prolific form in the event, smashed seven fours and three sixes from 47 balls. Zain struck two sixes and four fours from 45 deliveries. In the death overs, international all-rounder Sohail Tanvir hammered an explosive 16-ball 32 not out to ensure his side staged a decent total. Tanvir smacked two sixes and three fours. Left-arm pacer Taj Wali (1-31), Asad Raza (1-34) and Faheem (1-43) took one wicket each. Sohaib Maqsood was adjudged man of the match. On Wednesday (today), Karachi Whites face FATA and Lahore Blues meet Islamabad.
