Karachi Dolphins defeat Lahore Eagles in Faysal Bank T20 thriller
In the absence of international cricket, Pakistan’s domestic cricket is providing much excitement to Pakistani cricket fans. The Faysal Bank T20 cup is in full swing and has produced some thrilling matches.
The match between Karachi Dolphins and Lahore Eagles provided great delight to fans around the country as it included many national cricket stars and some special performances.
Lahore Eagles might be repenting their decision to put Dolphins into bat after winning the toss in a crucial match at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.
Karachi took full advantage of a belting pitch, scoring the highest score of 243/2 in the country’s T20 history, courtesy of Shahzaib Hassan’s brilliant century.
Karachi Openers, Hassan and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Khalid-Latif-c71261 went ballistic from the start. They knew that a huge total on the board in a crunch game always pay dividends as there is a lot of pressure on the side chasing. In doing so, they both hammered a 136 run partnership
in 13 overs.
Furthermore, Latif went on to score a scintillating half century, his 55 runs came off 37 balls, including four boundaries and 3 sixes. Ali Azmat, the left arm slow bowler brought about Khalid’s demise and in the process ended the opening association.
Shahzaib was joined by his captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482, who did not waste any time and started off from where his opening batsman left off.
Afridi’s blatant style of play earned him an 18 ball 48 runs, including 3 fours and 4 towering sixes, until he skied one to Azmat off http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jamshed-Ahmed-c1660.
All eyes were now set on the dashing Karachi opener, Shazaib Hassan, to get to his hundred, which in the end he did with the support of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Tariq-Haroon-c92796, who scored 25 runs off just 6 balls, hitting 4 sixes.
Moreover, in the final score line of 243, the blazing Karachi opener scored a breathtaking 101 runs off only 61 balls. In addition, his stunning display included thirteen fours and three sky scrapers out of the boundary rope.
Resultantly, Eagles bowling line-up ended up with not more than 2 wickets as Jamshed was their star bowler, conceding 26 runs in 3 overs, scalping the wicket Afridi.
The home team, in pursuit started the innings in a spanking fashion as the openers took a leaf out of their opponent’s book, smashing 66 runs in 7 overs for the first wicket.
Taufeeq Umar ran himself out at the hands of Shahid Afridi as he only gathered 28 runs off 19 balls. Umar’s partner, Imran Farhat went on to score a cracking half century. Farhat’s display of 53 runs off 36 balls was built on 3 sixes and 6 fours.
Wickets continued to crumble in the middle overs as Shahid Afridi and Tanvir Ahmed bowled a couple of tight overs in the match to restrict their opposition to 208/8 in twenty overs.
In doing so, both the Karachi bowlers gathered 2 wickets each. Tanvir’s figure of 2/25 in his four overs reflected the way the tourists changed the match in their favor in a match that was dominated by batsmen from both teams.
Only middle order batsman, Ali Azmat showed defiance with his 5 boundaries and 5 sixes, though he piled up a 36 ball 68 runs, that wasn’t enough to guide his team to victory.
As expected, the victory against their challenging hosts, has given them a ticket to a semi-final match. Karachi Dolphins now are definite favorites to win the Faysal Bank T20 tournament.
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