Ruthless Imran Nazir guides Stallions to RBS T20 title
Sunday, May 31, 2009
By By Alam Zeb Safi
KARACHI: An explosive knock of 57 from Imran Nazir and responsible unbeaten 47 from Qaisar Abbas guided Sialkot Stallions to retain the title when they scored a four-wicket win against Lahore Lions in the final of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) Twenty20 Cup held at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday night.
While chasing a fighting total of 151 to win, Sialkot Stallions lost two quick wickets for 33 when opener Kamran Younis was caught brilliantly by Imran Fahat off the bowling of Abdul Razzaq for just one run.
He was followed by Tahir Mughal who got out for a duck off Razzaq. Tahir went for a pull shot on a short in length delivery but it took the top edge and Adnan Raza held a diving catch at square-leg. But the dismissals did not frustrate Imran Nazir as he not only hit Muhammad Naved for four boundaries in his first over but also struck Abdul Razzaq for two sixes and Wahab Riaz also for a huge six.
But the flashy Imran Nazir lost his wicket on 57 when he missed the line while trying to play a full length yorker from Wahab Riaz across the line and it hit him on the pad in front of the middle stump and the umpire had no hesitation in giving him out. Imran, who looked unhappy with the decision, hit six fours and three sixes in his 26 balls knock.
After NazirÃs fall, Sialkot Stallions lost the fourth wicket for 81 when Shahbaz Butt stumped Mansoor Amjad off a wide delivery from Sohail Ahmad. He scored 14. But at this stage, the man of crisis Qaisar Abbas joined Shahid Yousuf and the duo put on 46 valuable runs for the fifth wicket before Shahid Yousuf was caught at deep midwicket by Umar Akmal off Jehangir Mirza for 22.
But Qaisar Abbas played sensibly and helped his team achieve the target for the loss of six wickets with five balls to spare.
Qaisar remained not out for 47. He faced 31 balls and hit five fours and a six. Adeel Malik was the sixth batsman of Stallions who got out for three. For Lahore Lions, Abdul Razzaq took two for 37 in fours over while Wahab Riaz, Sohail Ahmad and Jehangir Mirza clinched one wicket each.
Earlier, Lahore Lions, after opting to bat first, scored 150 for eight in the stipulated 20 overs. Opener Imran Farhat blasted 47 off 27 balls with six fours and two sixes while Adnan Raza accumulated 23 off 14 balls with three fours. Abdul Rehman, Kamran Younis and Mansoor Amjad shared two wickets each for Sialkot Stallions.
Summarised scores: Sialkot Stallions beat Lahore Lions by four wickets: Lahore Lions 150/8 in 20 overs (Imran Farhat 47, Adnan Raza 23; Abdul Rehman 2/21, Kamran Younis 2/26, Mansoor Amjad 2/21). Sialkot Stallions 151/6 (Imran Nazir 57, Qaisar Abbas 47 not out; Abdul Razzaq 2/37).
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Ruthless Imran Nazir guides Stallions to RBS T20 title
i m from sialkot :champ:
go stallions go stallions its ur birthday its ur birthday