Shoaib Malik helps Sialkot reach T20 final

A scintillating 127-run stand off 86 balls between Shoaib Malik and Shahid Yousuf steered defending champion Sialkot Stallions in the final of the Faysal Bank T20 Cricket Championship when they beat Lahore Eagles by six wickets in the first semi-finals at National Stadium here on Saturday.
Skipper Shoaib Malik smashed an unbeaten 88 off 49 balls with nine fours and three sixes and Shahid Yousuf made a compact 44 with five boundaries to seal victory. Malik lifted Waqas Ahmed for a straight six to bring victory and an exciting win for his team with seven balls to spare. Rana Naveed finished six not out with lone six.
Sialkot made a disastrous start when pacer Junaid Zia took two wickets in his first two overs. Imran Nazir's stumps were shattered by pacer Junaid Zia in the first over and fellow opener Shakeel Ansar was caught by Azhar in third over to reduce them to 9-2.
However experienced Malik and Shahid Yousuf not only reclaimed their innings but put them back on track with brilliant batting display. Shoaib Malik won the man of the match award for his superb all-round display. Earlier, Lahore Eagles enjoying the services of four Pakistan players got off to a dream start. Southpaw openers Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umar punished the bowlers from the outset.
Imran Farhat was in more adventurous mood hammering both left arm pacer Sarfraz Ahmed and Naveed Arif. Malik, who came into action quickly, conceded 17 runs in his opening over with Imran hitting for six and a four and Taufeeq hit a boundary.
Skipper Malik broke the dangerous opening stand when he trapped Taufeeq leg before for 33 in the 9th over. He smashed half a dozen boundaries in his 33 in mere 20 balls. Four overs later Shoaib Malik got his second success by clean bowling Imran Farhat, who made an enterprising 73 off 44 deliveries which was studded with 11 delightful boundaries and a huge six.
Sialkot got a sigh of relief after getting rid of both the openers. Ali Azmat hit 18 in 13 balls cameo with one six and one four. Lahore Eagles, which at one stage looked to cross 200 mark were bowled out for 166 with four balls of 20 overs remaining. Shoaib Malik took two wickets for 30 runs in four overs and pacer Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan got two wickets for 23 runs.