Both Lahore outfits in semis, Karachi Whites still in contention

KARACHI: Lahore Blues overwhelmed Islamabad by five wickets to qualify for the semi-finals of the National T20 Cup at the Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi, on Wednesday.
In the other outing of the day, FATA stayed alive in the competition by beating Karachi Whites by 19 runs. The result of Karachi Whites-FATA show also ensured Lahore Whites’ semi-finals berth.
Karachi Whites (7 points) will have to wait for the outcome of the remaining league matches to know their fate. Faisalabad, Karachi Whites, FATA and Islamabad are in contention for the remaining two semi-final spots.
It was the best day of the event so far as three centuries were scored with both the matches being high-scoring.In the day-night outing, Lahore Blues recorded their fourth win when they overwhelmed Islamabad with an enviable ease.
Lahore Blues chased the 175-run target with eight balls to spare after losing five wickets.The hall-mark of Lahore Blues’ fine chase was Test cricketer Ahmed Shehzad’s glorious 79. The seasoned right-hander, along with emerging international Imam-ul-Haq (16), provided a 47-run opening stand.
He then added 75 for the third wicket with young all-rounder Hussain Talat (41). Shehzad, who has been under criticism for lack of runs in international cricket, hammered three sixes and eight fours.
Talat, who has been in great form both with bat and ball in this event, smacked four fours and one six from 35 balls. Near the end, Agha Salman struck 17 not out off seven balls, smashing two fours and one six to enable his side to cross the line.
Left-arm tall international pacer Mohammad Ifran (1-18), spinner Raza Hasan (1-22), Umar Gul (1-31) and off-spinner Arsal Sheikh (1-33) were the successful bowlers.Earlier, Test cricketer and stand-in skipper Shan Masood (103*) slammed his first century in this form of cricket to enable Islamabad to pile-up 174-3.
Shan dominated 68 runs stand for the second wicket with debutant Rohail Raza who hit 27-ball 33 with two fours and one six.He then put on 66 for the fourth wicket unbroken stand with Faizan Riaz (19*) to take his side to a decent total.
Shan, whose previous best was 83, hammered 12 fours and two sixes in his unfinished 68-ball knock. Faizan struck three fours from 13 balls.Spinner Khalid Usman got 2-32 from fours overs, while Test discard Aizaz Cheema claimed 1-38.
Shan was adjudged man of the match.In the first outing, FATA kept their semi-finals hopes alive when they overpowered strong Karachi Whites being led by Pakistan’s skipper Sarfraz Ahmed.
Chasing a stiff target of 220, Karachi Whites were restricted to 200-5 in the stipulated 20 overs despite Khurram Manzoor’s splendid 104 while opening the innings.Khurram, who scored his third century in this form of cricket, smashed 14 fours and two sixes from 61 balls. His fifty came off 27 balls and 100 from 58 deliveries.
The Test opener added 98 runs for the fourth wicket with left-handed international Haris Sohail, who scored 50 off just 23 balls, hitting three sixes and four boundaries.Sameen Gul (2-26) and Hammad Azam (2-30) bowled well.
International Mukhtar Ahmed turned out a hero for the tribesmen as the Sialkot-born right-hander smashed 117 not out off 58 balls to help FATA post 219-5, the highest total of the event so far.
Mukhtar hammered 15 fours and six sixes in his terrific knock. The 24-year-old dominated the 70-run second wicket stand with debutant Nabi Gul, who made 21-ball 22 with two fours and one six.
He then dominated the 51-run partnership for the third wicket with Khushdil Shah (12).In-form Sohail Akhtar (39) and Asif Afridi (19*) scored 63 for the sixth wicket to ensure a big total for their side.
Mukhtar’s fifty came off 27 balls and his 100 from 49 balls. Sohail smashed five sixes and one four from only 14 balls, while Asif smacked two sixes in his ten-ball fire-work.
Fast bowler Tabish Khan (2-62) and Anwar Ali (2-51) were the successful bowlers. Mukhtar was declared man of the match for his glorious knock.On Thursday (today), Lahore Blues face Rawalpindi and Faisalabad meet Peshawar.