Lahore Lions kept its hopes of a semifinal berth in the Oppo Champions League T20 alive, but not before a dramatic, late assault from the Dolphins all-rounder Robert Frylinck threatened to alter the script.
With 72 runs off the last four overs, and the final pair at the wicket, a Lions victory had seemed a foregone conclusion at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday. But the strapping Frylinck, who turned 30 on the day, clubbed a 27-ball-63 (4x4, 6x6) to drag his team back into contention.
The target of 165 proved a bridge too far, however, and Lions held on to claim a 16-run win, dumping the opponent out of the competition. The Pakistani side will have to beat Perth Scorchers on Tuesday and hope its net run rate exceeds that of the side above it — an unlikely feat — in order to progress to the last four.
The foundation for Lions’ triumph was laid by Umar Akmal’s sparkling, unbeaten 73 (45b, 5x4, 5x6).
In pursuit, Dolphins lost wickets steadily, throttled by the rival’s trio of slow bowlers — Mohammad Hafeez, Mustafa Iqbal and Saad Nasim.
Morne van Wyk and Jonathan Vandiar offered some resistance, but their exits, which came in succession, triggered a long slide. The situation seemed irredeemable, and although the partnership for the tenth-wicket realized 55 runs, it was not to be. That Lions ran up 164 was due largely to Akmal’s half-century, and his whirlwind 92-run (53b) alliance with Saad Nasim. The pair was united in the eighth over with the Pakistanis hobbling on 34 for four. The going had been difficult after opting to bat first — the nature of the pitch perhaps had something to do with this. Akmal restored hope, however. He unleashed a flurry of sixes, notching up his fifty off only 31 balls. At the other end, Nasim joined in the fun as overs 12 through 16 yielded 71 runs.
