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Thursday March 28, 2024

Panthers cruise to victory as Rams make it to semis

KARACHI: Adil Amin hit a solid unbeaten fifty, while Imran Khan Junior bowled intelligently to enable Peshawar Panthers beat Rawalpindi Rams by seven wickets in their last Group A match of the Haier Super Eight T20 Cup 2014-15 at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad on Friday.Despite the defeat, Rawalpindi Rams made it

By Alam Zeb Safi
May 16, 2015
KARACHI: Adil Amin hit a solid unbeaten fifty, while Imran Khan Junior bowled intelligently to enable Peshawar Panthers beat Rawalpindi Rams by seven wickets in their last Group A match of the Haier Super Eight T20 Cup 2014-15 at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad on Friday.
Despite the defeat, Rawalpindi Rams made it to the semi-finals while Peshawar Panthers’ fate will be decided by the outcome of the game between Sialkot Stallions and Abbottabad Faclons which was scheduled on Friday night.
Adil struck 44-ball 53 not out with five fours to enable Panthers chase 146-run target with four balls to spare after losing three wickets in the process.
Earlier, Imran Khan Junior picked 3-13 from four overs to restrict Rams to a relatively low total of 145-6 in the allotted overs.
After losing openers Israrullah (26) and Rafatullah Mohmand (13) in quick succession, cool-headed Adil added vital 49 runs for the third wicket with Iftikhar Ahmed (32) to make the chase easier for Peshawar Panthers.
Iftikhar hit one six and three fours from 23 balls.
Adil then put on another 33 for the fourth wicket unbeaten stand with international wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan (14*) to make Panthers home in 19.2 overs.
Rizwan struck one four from 13 deliveries.
Test pacer Mohammad Amir (1-32), left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar (1-18) and Hammad Azam (1-19) were the successful bowlers.
After being asked to bat, Naved Malik led Rams’ batting with a fine 40-ball 57. The 29-year old, who smashed seven fours and two sixes in his solid knock, added 50 runs off 32 balls for the opening stand with Khurram Shehzad, who scored run-a-ball 16 with one four and a six.
Naved then shared another 56 for the second wicket with Zahid Mansoor who blasted 31-ball 32 with two fours and a six. Rams were 106-2 in 13.1 overs when Iftikhar Ahmed (1-13) removed Naved.
However, in the end Panthers’ medium pacers Imran Khan Senior and Imran Khan Junior bowled really well to restrict Rams 145-6. International all-rounder Hammad Azam was the only one who batted well in the end, scoring unbeaten 23 off 20 deliveries which also had one six.
Imran Khan Senior finished his quota of four overs with 2-19.
Rams’ captain Sohail Tanvir said they failed to score runs in the final overs.
“Our batsmen batted extremely well in the first ten overs. At that time it seemed that we would post 170. But credit goes to Panthers’ bowlers who bowled extremely well in the final overs,” Sohail said.
Panthers’ skipper Zohaib Khan said it was a team effort.
“If you recall the last T20 event, there too our team played like a unit. And again the team is doing the same thing. If one batsman fails to score, the other clicks and it’s encouraging,” said Zohaib.
Adil and Imran Khan Junior shared man-of-the-match award.
In Group B show on Thursday night, Lahore Lions outclassed Faisalabad Wolves by 45 runs.
Umar Akmal (85*) single-handedly guided Lions to 153-8. Pakistan’s highly talented batsman smashed four sixes and eight fours from 60 balls.
Samiullah Khan Niazi got 2-38.
In reply, Wolves were skittled out for only 108 in 19 overs.
Young wicket-keeper batsman Ali Shan (28*), Bilal Shah (21) and Samiullah (12) were the only batters who entered double figures.
Mohammad Hafeez (2-14) and Imran Ali (2-12) bowled nicely.
On Saturday (today) in Group B, Lahore Lions will face Multan Tigers at 5pm. Faisalabad Wolves will lock horns with Karachi Dolphins at 9pm in the other game of the same group. Wolves, Lions and Dolphins are in contention for the two semi-finals spots.