Faisalabad Wolves defeated Rawalpindi Rams by 18 runs
Faisalabad Wolves continued their unbeaten streak in Faysal Bank T20 Cup with a 17-run victory over Rawalpindi Rams at Bagh-e-Jinnah Ground Lahore on Tuesday.
Powered by Ali Waqas’ sagacious half-century, Faisalabad posted a competitive total of 148-8 and skittled Rawalpindi out for 131 in the penultimate over.
Seamer Asad Ali was the chief-in-wreaker of Rawalpindi batting line with the figures of 3-27. Spin duo Khurram Shehzad and Saeed Ajmal claimed two wickets apiece.
Umar Amin resisted with 41-ball 47 and Jamal Anwar and Awais Zia scored 25 and 21 runs respectively but the rest of others failed to reach double-figures.
Shehzad dealt Rawalpindi early blows and removed the openers Naved Malik (2) and Awais Zia (6) inside three overs before Anwar and Naeem steadied the innings with a 39-run third-wicket stand.
Ajmal broke up the recovery stand by snaring Naeem leg-before. Two overs later Ali nettled the stumps of Anwer to leave Rawalpindi 4-66.
Following the double setback Amin shouldered the responsibility and kept the scoreboard ticking but failed to the get assistance from the other end of crease.
Earlier, Farrukh Shehzad (14) and Ali Waqas (53 off 47) delivered Faisalabad a brisk 34-run opening stand before seamer Mohammad Rameez edged former to Jamal Anwar behind stumps.
Waqas found another ably in the visage of Khurram Shehzad and stitched up 49 runs for the second wicket to take Faisalabad into comfort zone.
Left-arm spinner Babar Naeem eventually separated the pair by dismissing Shehzad, who hit three monster sixes in his 19-ball 31. Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq extended his miserable run by bowling by for five off Samiullah delivery.
Laced with four boundaries and two sixes, Waqas’s innings came to an end in the 17th over when he mistimed Yasir Arafat delivery that uprooted his stumps.
Naved Latif and Imran Khalid scored 18 and 10 runs respectively.
