Sialkot Stallions lose after five undefeated years

Rawalpindi Rams accomplished what no team has managed since April 2005 - win a Twenty20 match against Sialkot Stallions - as they overcame the local giants by 13 runs in a high-scoring clash in Lahore.

Stallions came into the game on the back of a five-year unbeaten streak, but it was clear from the outset that today was going to be no walk in the park. Naved Malik and Awais Zia came out throwing punches in all directions, spanking quick 40s in an opening stand that raised 88 in 6.2 overs. Sarfraz Ahmed and Abdur Rehman bore the brunt of the assault, bleeding 101 runs in their eight combined overs.

The innings failed to build on the frenetic start, but the middle-order ensured that they did not throw it away either. Adeel Malik pulled things back with 3 for 25 in the middle overs, but Naved Ashraf and Hammad Azam ensured the Stallions would need to chase close to 200 to qualify for the semis.

Imran Nazir launched the pursuit in typical fashion, lashing 45 runs in just 15 balls, suggesting that even a target of 198 could not rein in the champion side. He smote five sixes and three fours, and raised 72 in 32 balls with Tahir Mughal to set the tone for a tight finish. Azam was larruped for 50 runs in his four overs, but also managed to strike four crucial blows. His dismissal of Nazir prompted an inevitable drop in the scoring rate, but Shoaib Malik and Haris Sohail kept their side in the hunt with a 41-run stand in 31 balls. Shoaib's exit, with 42 needed off 31, gave the Rams an opening and they barged in with a flurry of late wickets. Sohail kept trying, but Rana Naved-ul-Hasan's inability to rotate the strike or reach the boundary towards the end cost the Stallions a spot in the final four as the innings closed at 184 for 7.

Islamabad Leopards charged into the semis with a commanding nine-wicket victory against Faisalabad Wolves in the winner-takes-all Group C clash at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The spin of the coin was the only thing that went the Wolves' way as their batting came unstuck in spectacular fashion against Shoiab Akhtar. Asif Hussain, Mohammad Hafeez and Ali Waqaz were all back in the pavilion for ducks by the end of the first over, and the Wolves' eventual score of 141 for 8 was a major improvement after that shambolic start. Misbah-ul-Haq, recently appointed as the captain for the Test series against South Africa, gave a reminder of his Twenty20 skills with 47 off 32 balls. Khurram Shehzad and Naved Latif offered support to set the Leopards a tricky chase.

The reply was just as dominant as the bowling performance earlier in the day as Raheel Majeed stroked 69 off 58 balls with nine fours and a six to lead the way. Umair Khan and Fayyaz Ahmed offered support to ensure that the Leopards got home with plenty to spare.

Karachi Dolphins surged to the highest domestic Twenty20 score in Pakistan - 243 for 2 - on the back of a majestic 101 off 61 balls from Shahzaib Hasan, to defeat Lahore Eagles and qualify to the semis from Group D. The Eagles were left to rue their decision to field as the Dolphins openers took off in spectacular fashion. Khalid Latif's 55 off 37 balls was completely over-shadowed by Shahzaib, who capitalised after being put down on 11 by Ali Azmat. Shahzaib has been in fine form during this event, adding a century to his 76 against Hyderabad Hawks on Monday. His displays showed the national selectors, who announced the Twenty20 squad for the South Africa series ahead of this tournament and left him out of it, in poor light.

Following the 138-run opening stand, Shahid Afridi blitzed 48 off 18 balls, before Tariq Haroon tonked four of his six balls for sixes to take the Dolphins to a towering total. The Eagles made a fist of the chase, with Imran Farhat hitting 53 off 36 balls to launch the reply. Azmat tried to make up for his drop with five sixes and five fours in his 69 off 38 balls, but Tanvir Ahmed and Afridi bowled tight spells to ensure that the Eagles fell 35 runs short. 

Younis Khan to meet PCB chief over future

Younis Khan, the former Pakistan captain, has acknowledged receiving a notice from the PCB, asking him to meet the board chief Ijaz Butt to discuss his continued exclusion from the national team.

Younis, who has agreed to the meeting, was punished by the PCB for disciplinary reasons in the aftermath of a winless tour of Australia in 2009-10; the board decided that he would not be selected for an indefinite period. The sanction seemed to have beenlifted in June this year, when an appeals tribunal referred the case back to the board and Younis was included in the list of probables for the Asia Cup.

But he has not been cleared for selection since then by Butt. The chairman, it is believed, is expecting an apology from Younis - the other players who were punished and have now been taken back into the fold have all apologised to the chairman - while Younis has refused to issue one, believing he has done nothing to apologise for.

"I was expecting a lot more in the letter but it just asks me to meet the chairman and I have no problems doing that. I think in the next two or three days the chairman will give me time and I will meet him," Younis told reporters in Lahore, where he is leading Peshawar Panthers in the domestic Twenty20 Cup. Had he refused to contact the board, Younis could have been issued a show-cause notice, asking him to address the charges laid against him again.

Younis said he was eager to play for Pakistan but did not want to speculate over his future. "Who doesn't want to play for his country? But I cannot say anything about my future at this stage, until I have my meeting with the board chairman," he said.

Afridi, Waqar pleased with verdict on Oval ODI

Pakistan's limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis have welcomed the ICC's decision to give a clean chit to last month's ODI against England at The Oval. The ICC had launched an investigation into the match after receiving information from the Sun newspaper before the game began alleging that bookies were aware of certain scoring patterns during the game. On Wednesday, they said their investigation was complete and "there was no compelling evidence to suspect individual players or support staff" of wrongdoing.

"I am very happy after hearing the news," Afridi, who led Pakistan to victory in that match, told AFP. "I had and will always have full confidence in my team that they will not do anything like that. I have told the players to always remain focused on cricket and forget anything else, and that's what they were doing in the one-day series in England."

Afridi's views were echoed by Waqar, who also hoped for a quick end to the controversies surrounding the England tour. Prior to the the ODI series, a News of the World expose had alleged that three players from the Pakistan side - Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif - were involved in spot-fixing during the Lord's Test. The trio has been suspended by the ICC pending investigations.

"It's [the ruling on The Oval ODI] very good news for Pakistan cricket," Waqar told AFP. "I sincerely hope that all spot-fixing cases are solved soon because they have tarnished Pakistan's reputation."

Taffazul Rizvi, legal adviser to the Pakistan Cricket Board, also welcomed the ruling, and added that any decision on following legal recourse against the British newspapers would wait for the outcome of the spot-fixing inquiry.