Wolves down Stallions to win T-20 cup

LAHORE: Asif Ali hit a glorious unbeaten half century and Asad Ali and Ehsan Adil took three wickets each to help Faisalabad Wolves overwhelm holders Sialkot Stallions by 36 runs in the final of the Faysal Bank Super Eight T20 Cup at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday night.

Asif hit 70 not out to enable Wolves to post 158-3 in the allotted 20 overs. Then Asad Ali took 3-21 in 3.1 overs and Test pacer Ehsan Adil got 3-37 to dismiss Stallions for 122 in reply.

After opting to bat first, Wolves lost left-hander Ali Waqas (1) early, stumped by keeper Shakeel Ansar off Shoaib Malik.

Umaid Asif then sent Farrukh Shehzad (8) in the third over as Shakeel Ansar took a sharp catch down the leg side to leave Wolves at 16-2 in three overs.

Khurram Shehzad and Asif Ali then added 63 runs for the third wicket before Khurram was bowled by left-arm spinner Raza Hasan for 30. He hit five fours from 31 balls and

Wolves were 79-3 in 12.2 overs. After Khurram’s fall, skipper Misbah-ul-Haq joined Asif and the duo plundered runs with great pace, adding 79 runs for the fourth wicket unbroken association to catapult Wolves to 158-3.

Asif smashed six fours and three sixes in his 49-ball fifty. Misbah hammered three sixes and two fours in his 25-ball 38 not out. The last two overs yielded 35 runs.

Umaid Asif’s second last over, in which he was hit by Misbah for two glorious sixes, gave away 19 runs. The last over bowled by Rana Naved-ul-Hasan cost Stallions 16 runs.

Rana Naved conceded 42 runs in four overs. Leggie Adeel Malik gave away 17 in two overs, while Abdur Rehman conceded 26 in four overs.

Stallions had a poor start when they began their chase, losing Shakeel Ansar (4), Ali Khan (3) and Umaid Asif (0) with only ten runs on the board.

Mansoor Amjad (3) then sacrificed his wicket for Shoaib Malik as he was run out responding to a difficult call from his skipper. This left Stallions at 26-4 in 6.4 overs.

Ayaz Tasawwar then gave good support to Shoaib, putting on 63 runs for the fifth wicket before Ayaz was caught by Asif Ali off Ehsan Adil. The left-hander banged two fours and a six in his 28 runs, scored off 26 deliveries.

Ehsan then removed Shoaib Malik (40) and Adeel Malik (0) on two successive balls to leave Stallions reeling at 97-7 in 16.4 overs. Shoaib smacked four fours and a six from 39 balls.

Asad then bowled Shahid Yousuf (12), Saeed Ajmal dislodged Rana Naved (11) and Asad removed Abdur Rehman (3) as Stallions perished for 122 in 19.1 overs.

Test spinner Saeed Ajmal took 1-21 in four overs, while Samiullah Niazi got 1-17 in four.

Wolves had brought in Ajmal in place of Jahandad Khan, while Stallions fielded the same side that won the semi-final.

Asif Ali was declared man of the match.