Quetta Gladiators Academy move into KG Ramazan Cricket semis

KARACHI: Quetta Gladiators Academy moved into the semi-finals of Karachi Gymkhana-Omar Associates Ramazan Festival Cricket Tournament as they edged out hosts Karachi Gymkhana by eight runs in the quarter-finals here at the KG Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

Salahuddin’s fine all-round performance played the decisive role in Quetta Gladiators Academy’s victory after a keenly contested encounter. He was adjudged Man of the Match.

Put into bat, Quetta Gladiators Academy managed 143 for eight in the allotted 20 overs but they defended it despite the heroics of Imran Nazir, restricting the hosts to 135 for nine off 20 overs.

Quetta Gladiators Academy seemed on track to a big total when opener Naimat Khan (47 off 32 balls) and number three Salahuddin (17 off 20 balls) got them off to a flying start. They were jolted by the spin duo of Haider Ali (2-21) and Agha Salman (2-29) and it was Ghulam Haider’s unbeaten 31 off 22 balls, which lifted them to a fighting total.

Opener Imran Nazir’s 50 off 30 balls, containing three sixes and five fours, and number three Agha Salman’s 25 off 14 put Karachi Gymkhana in a commanding position but Quetta Gladiators Academy pulled it back through off-spinner Abdul Nasir (2-20), medium-pacer Salahuddin (2-31) and left-arm spinner Abdul Malik (2-35).

Omar Cricket Club will be taking on Alamgir Gymkhana in the second quarter-final on Wednesday (today).

Eaton Cricket Club will combat Rangoonwala New Al Habib in the third quarter-final on Thursday (tomorrow).

Qasmi Gymkhana will lock horns with Heroes Cricket Club Quetta in the last quarter-final on Friday.

The semi-finals will be played over the weekend with the final due to be contested on Monday next.