Date:10/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/10/stories/2008111061211900.htm

Sport - Cricket

Badshahs in semifinals

V.V. Subrahmanyam

AHMEDABAD: Lahore Badshahs entered the semifinals of the ICL Twenty20 championships with a 13-run win over Chennai Superstars at the Sardar Patel Stadium here on Sunday night.

Superstars, chasing 212, looked on course with Ian Harvey playing a cameo (54, 29 balls, 5x4, 4x6). Later, Rajagopal Sathish (76 not out, 38 balls, 4x4, 6x6) threatened to take the game away from Badshahs with some vintage strokes.

In a must-win situation, Badshahs bowlers showed the desired discipline to come back strongly in front of a 35,000-strong crowd. Naved-ul-Hasan Rana was exceptional finishing with an impressive haul of four for 26. Earlier, the opening pair of Imran Nazir (44, 23 balls, 4x4, 4x6) and southpaw Imran Farhat (67, 38 balls, 8x4, 3x6) struck form to help Badshahs post 211 for four in 20 overs.

In the semifinals on Monday, Superstars will take on Badshahs while, Hyderabad Heroes meets Royal Bengal Tigers on Tuesday.

The scores: Ahmedabad Rockets 197 in 19.5 overs (Murray Goodwin 61, K.M. Sanjeev 32, Love Ablish four for 35) bt Chandigarh Lions 158 for nine in 20 overs (Karanveer Singh 42, Amit Uniyal 45).

Lahore Badshahs 211 for four in 20 overs (Imran Nazir 44, Imran Farhat 67, Mohammad Yousuf 40 not out) bt Chennai Superstars 198 for nine in 20 overs (Ian Harvey 54, R. Sathish 76 not out, Naved-ul-Hasan Rana four for 26, Shahid Nazir three for 43).