Sialkot Stallions skipper Shoaib Malik hit 33-ball 51 before picking four wickets
Shoaib Malik shone with both bat and ball as Sialkot Stallions crushed Quetta Bears by 72 runs to record their second successive victory in Faysal Bank T20 Cup at Lahore City Cricket Association Ground on Sunday.
The skipper slammed a whirlwind 36-ball 51 and shared a 57-run fourth-wicket stand with Shahid Yousuf (28 off 25) to help defending champions post a competitive total of 149-7.
He then produced a magical four-wicket haul for just 13 runs to skittle the underdogs out for 77. Seam trio Naved-ul-Hasan, Umaid Asif and Yousaf also contributed in Quetta’s calamity with two scalps apiece.
Making a stunning start to their title defending campaign, Sialkot had thumped Islamabad Leopards by eight wickets on Saturday.
The Baluchistan side failed to gain momentum early in the chase and lost wickets at regular intervals. Just four of their batsmen could manage to reach double-digits.
Asif, who had claimed three wickets against Islamabad, dealt Quetta double blow by scalping opener Mir Wais (8) and Sabir Hussain (6) before Malik snared Mohibullah (15) leg-before.
Shoaib Malik struck drastically in his next spell and removed Farhan Khan (12), Sardar Wali (0) and Arun Lal in five balls to leave Quetta reeling 6-50.
Yousuf extended Quetta misery by removing skipper Gohar Fiaz for 14 before Naved-ul-Hasan eliminated Nazar Hussain (2) and Hamal Wahab (0) in three balls to wrap up their story.
Earlier, asked to bat, Sialkot Stallions got off to an unconvincing start and slumped to 50-3 in ninth over following the cheap dismissals of Imran Nazir (18), Shakeel Ansar (15), and Haris Sohail (11).
However, Shoaib combined with Yousuf for a recovery stand and cracked some classy shots all over the part.
The pair drove up the total to 110-3 in 15 overs before left-arm orthodox Jalat Khan nettled the stumps of Yousaf, who hit three boundaries in his 25-ball knock.
Sialkot suffered another blow in the same over when Adeel Malik got run out following a mix up with the skipper.
Shoaib Malik, however, held fort single-handedly and continued the anticipation towards competitiveness. Laced with spectacular boundaries, his glorious knock came to an end in the final over when Arun Lal secured his catch at mid-on off Nazar Hussain’s bowling.
