CLT20: Akmal, Nasim star as Lahore Lions knock Dolphins out
Umar Akmal smashed a 45-ball 73 while Saad Nasim starred with both bat and ball as Lahore cruised to a 16-run win.
Pakistan champions Lahore Lions registered their first win in the Champions League Twenty20 main draw as they outplayed Dolphins of South Africa by 16 runs to keep their hopes of booking a semi-final spot alive on Saturday.
Electing to bat, Lahore, who now have six points with a win and rained-off game, lost early wickets but Saad Nasim (43) and Umar Akmal (73 not out) stitched a 92-run fifth-wicket partnership to help the side post 164 for five in 20 overs.
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If Nasim hit 3 fours and an equal number of sixes in his 26-ball stay then Umar stole the limelight with his match-winning 45-ball knock that was laced with 5 fours and 5 sixes.
Chasing 165 for victory, a winless Dolphins, who are now out of the tournament, managed 148 for nine in their stipulated overs as Robbie Frylinck’s unbeaten 63 run effort went in vain.
Mohammad Hafeez’s leadership qualities did come under the scanner when Frynlick’s blitz took the Dolphins from 93 for 9 to bat out their full quota of overs. Hafeez (2 for 18) as the off-spinner though, did his bit with the new ball and ended with figures of 2 for 18.
Left-arm orthodox Mustafa Iqbal (2 for 21) and leg-spinner Nasim (2 for 19) also picked up two wickets each as off-spinner Adnan Rasool (1 for 13) and left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz (1 for 31) bagged a wicket apiece.
But wicketkeeper-batsman Umar it was, who won the Man of the Match award for his valiant knock after Lahore lost their top-four batsman for just 34 runs.
Dolphins’ Frynlick (3 for 22) was the impact player from the South African side as the medium-pacer hurt the Lions with three wickets, including openers Ahmed Shehzad (6) and Nasir Jamshed (10).
Reigning Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders have already made it to the semifinals from this group and now Chenai Super Kings, Perth Scorchers and Lahore will fight it out for the second team to book a last-four spot.
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