http://www.jang-group.com/thenews/mar2006-daily/03-03-2006/sports/s1.htm
Holders Wolves ram their way into Twenty20 semis
By Gul Hameed Bhatti
KARACHI: Defending champions Faisalabad Wolves rammed a 10-wicket defeat down the Rawalpindi Rams’ throats, when they attained an overwhelming victory in their last Group A match of the 2005-06 ABN-AMRO Twenty20 Cup National Cricket Championship, here at the National Stadium under lights on Thursday.
The Wolves, who bludgeoned their way to a score of 108 for no wicket, needed a mere nine overs to overhaul the poor total of 105 all out in 17.5 overs that the Rams had managed, after the latter opted to take first strike.
Faisalabad have now moved into the tournament’s semifinals. Later today (Friday), they come face to face with the Group B leaders Lahore Lions here at the National Stadium in a day/night fixture.
Slow left-arm bowler Imran Khalid, who was later declared Man of the Match, broke the Rawalpindi team’s back after they had reached 60 for three in their first nine overs. The remaining seven wickets added only a further 45 runs, with the 21-year-old Imran bagging four for 21 in his four overs.
The small target was surpassed even before the halfway mark was reached. Pakistan discard off-spin bowling opening batsman Mohammad Hafeez hammered an unbeaten 66, off a mere 33 deliveries with 11 fours and two sixes.
The Wolves finished second behind Sialkot Stallions in the seven-team Group A table with eight points, from four wins and two defeats in their six appearances. Lahore Eagles also have the opportunity to take their points tally to eight prior to the last-four stage, but they have fallen far behind the Faisalabad team’s net run-rate already.
Rawalpindi Rams finished sixth out of the seven participants in Group A, but they had the same record as bottom-placed Multan Tigers — only a solitary win against five losses. However, they at least had a better net run-rate as compared to Multan’s.
Scoreboard
Rawalpindi Rams won toss
Rawalpindi Rams
Asim Butt c Misbah b Tauqeer 2
†Mohammad Wasim b Samiullah 16
Yasir Arafat b Tauqeer 15
*Naved Ashraf c Naved b Saeed 38
Pervez Aziz st Salman b Imran 5
Babar Naeem st Salman b Imran 6
Sohail Tanvir lbw b Imran 2
Alamgir Khan b Imran 0
Jawad Hameed run out 6
Najaf Shah lbw b Saeed 1
Rizwan Akbar not out 1
Extras (lb1, w10, nb2) 13
Total (all out, 17.5 overs) 105
Fall: 1-12, 2-31, 3-43, 4-60, 5-78, 6-93, 7-93, 8-95, 9-98
Bowling: Samiullah Niazi 3-0-17-1 (2w); Tauqeer Hussain 3-0-27-2 (1nb); Ahmed Hayat 1-0-7-0; Mohammad Hafeez 4-0-26-0 (4w); Imran Khalid 4-0-21-4 (2w); Saeed Ajmal 2.5-1-6-2
Faisalabad Wolves
Mohammad Hafeez not out 66
Asif Hussain not out 23
Extras (lb1, w14, nb4) 19
Total (no wkt, 9 overs) 108
Did not bat: *Misbah-ul-Haq, †Mohammad Salman, Naved Latif, Khurram Shahzad, Ahmed Hayat, Saeed Ajmal, Imran Khalid, Tauqeer Hussain, Samiullah Niazi
Bowling: Yasir Arafat 2-0-32-0 (1nb, 1w); Najaf Shah 3-0-44-0 (1nb, 4w); Jawad Hameed 2-0-14-0; Alamgir Khan 1-0-8-0; Rizwan Akbar 1-0-9-0 (1w)
Result: Faisalabad Wolves won by 10 wickets
Man of the Match: Imran Khalid
Umpires: Afzaal Ahmed and Saleem Badar. Match referee: Khatib Rizwan. Official scorer: Mohammad Ahsan
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Well done to the Wolves!! What a response to the defeat by Sialkot Stallions!!!! And Bradman of 20/20 Hafeez destroyed the Rawalpindi Rams with another 200+ strike rate innings!!!
ASIF CHAA GAYAAA HAI!!!!
