LAHORE: Faisalabad Wolves beat Lahore Eagles by six wickets in the last Group A match of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) 2008-09 National Twenty20 Cup Cricket Championship, here at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) Ground on Monday, but the 2004-05 champions failed to make the tournament semifinals.

Karachi Dolphins, twice runners-up in the previous three Twenty20 Cup competitions but who have yet to win the title, had already booked a place in the last-four stage by winning their first two matches in the group. Yesterday, they gained their third straight victory to confirm a semifinals spot.

Batting first after winning the toss, the Lahore Eagles managed a poor 106 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their 20 overs. The Wolves reached the win target in 18.4 overs, scoring 112 for four and emerging triumphant by a six wickets margin.

Faisalabad won two of their three matches, but were defeated by the Dolphins on Sunday. This put paid to their ambitions of making the semifinals. Pace bowler Asad Ali struck two quick blows when the Eagles began their innings. Ashfaq Ahmed took 16 balls to hit 22 runs with a four and two sixes, with Shahab Basharat attaining an identical score, off 35 balls with two fours. But the others didn’t do much.

New-ball bowler, the left-armed Samiullah Niazi took 2-30 in his four overs while Asad Ali returned figures of 2-17 in three overs. After the Wolves lost two early wickets, wicket-keeper Mohammad Salman amnd Khurram Shahzad got involved in a third-wicket stand of 67 runs. Salman took 42 balls to make 41 with three fours and a six while Khurram’s 32 needed just 22 deliveries with four boundaries.

The target at 93-2 was only 14 runs away. The Wolves lost two wickets at this juncture but easily got home. Scores: Lahore Eagles 106-8 in 20 overs. Faisalabad Wolves 112-4 in 18.4 overs (Mohammad Salman 41, Khurram Shahzad 32).