Latest News: Sialkot to clash with Faisalabad in T20 final

KARACHI: Sialkot Stallions as expected qualified for the final RBS T20 Cricket Championship when they beat Karachi Dolphins by seven runs on Saturday before strong crowd of around 20,000. Replying to Sialkot Stallions total of 149-7 in 20 overs, Karachi Dolphins after an exhilarating start was bowled out for 139 with nine-ball of 20 overs remaining at National Stadium’s dazzling floodlights. 4-time Champion Sialkot Stallions will take on Faisalabad Wolves in Sunday night final. Shahid Afridi in a brief cameo of 11-ball, he struck three boundaries and brace of 6s in 29 while Fawad Alam made 41 off 33-ball with two 4s and one six while Shahzaib slammed nine ball 20 with three strikes to the boundary and one over. At one stage after the departure of Afridi, Sheharyar Ghani and Fawad Alam were unable force the pace as they went without a boundary in 31 balls to the disappointment of the large crowd. Pakistan Test paceman Muhammad Asif was named man of the match for his excellent figures of three wickets for 37 runs. Sialkot electing to bat first was restricted to 149 for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs thanks to brilliant spell of bowling spinners duo of Shahid Afridi and Azam Hussain. Afridi grabbed three wickets for 21 runs in tight four overs spell and slow left spinner Azam Hussain claimed two wickets for 25 runs. Sialkot Captain Shoaib Malik top-scored with a fine 40 in 32 balls including three boundaries and one six while opener Imran Nazir hit five boundaries and one six in his 38 off 24 deliveries. Scores: Sialkot Stallions 149-7 in 20 overs(Shoaib Malik 40, Imran Nazir 38, Shakeel Ansar 11 not out, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 10, Shahid Afridi 3-21, Azam Hussain 2-25). Karachi Dolphins 139 all out in 18.3 overs (Fawad Alam 41, Shahid Afridi 29, Shahzaib Hasan 20, Muhammad Sami 18, Tanveer Ahmed 15, Muhammad Asif 3-37, Sarfraz Ahmed 2-23, Abdul Razzaq 2-25).