ABN AMRO Cup, Gold League, 3rd round

Malik and Yousuf star for Sialkot Stallions

Cricinfo staff

March 4, 2007

After a modest performance with the bat, the Peshawar Panthers struck back with the ball to coast to a 72-run win against the Rawalpindi Rams in Karachi. Chasing 212 for victory, the Rams lost early wickets and were never in the hunt, slumping to 45 for 3 and then 92 for 6. They were eventually bowled out for 139. Faz-le-Akbar, the right-arm medium-fast bowler, and left-arm spinner Zohaib Khan did most of the damage, taking three wickets each.

Peshawar were earlier restricted to 211 despite a solid opening partnership of 77 between Yasir Hameed (35) and Rafatullah Mohmand (34). Mohammad Fayyaz top-scored with 40, while the rest of the middle order got starts too, but none of them went on to make a substantial score.

Superb 90s by Shehzad Malik and Shahid Yousuf powered Sialkot Stallions to a convincing 64-run victory against Faisalabad Wolves at the National Stadium in Karachi. Malik cracked 94 off 78 balls while Yousuf slammed three sixes on the way to a 70-ball 92 as the Stallions raced to an imposing 317 for 9.

The Wolves began their run-chase badly, losing four wickets with only 62 on the board. Naved Latif, the captain, injected some life into the innings with a 78-ball 75 with five fours and three sixes, and though the middle order contributed usefully, it was too little to make a serious fist of the chase.

Mohammad Khalil rocked Karachi Dolphins with a fine spell of new-ball bowling to help Lahore Eagles win by 73 runs in a low-scoring match. After being put in to bat, the Eagles struggled, losing half the side with only 104 on the board. Arsalan Mir's patient, unbeaten 58 lifted them to a modest 227, but that total turned out to be more than sufficient as Khalil struck three early blows.

Fawad Alam, the No.5 batsman, did exactly what Mir had done for Lahore, scoring an unbeaten 58 off 106 deliveries, exactly the number of balls Mir faced. However, Alam had none of the support that Mir had, as none of the other Karachi batsmen made more than 19.

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