Abu Dhabi: Alubond Tigers and Multiplex kept their unbeaten records but took contrasting paths to record their quarter-final victories in the Ace-Pan Global Ramadan Twenty20 Cup.
Alubond made short work over Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank for a nine-wicket win, while Multiplex was taken the full distance before their five-wicket triumph with an over to spare against One Stop Tourism at the Zayed Stadium.
Pakistan imports Riaz Afridi and Samiullah Niyazi ripped through the ADCB batting by taking six wickets between them to bowl out for 87.
Afridi took three early wickets in a fiery opening spell to leave ADCB struggling at 12 for three and Niyazi, introduced to the attack as first change, grabbed two as the bankers were reduced to 19 for five.
Ayaz Butt was the only batsman to play a knock of any substance, until running out of partners. He stroked a 24-ball 36 not out that included three fours and a couple of sixes.
Alubond lost an early wicket but the one-drop Zakir Malek smashed 49 not out and in the company of Waqas Ahmad (28 not out) completed the rout with more than 12 overs to spare.
Malek smashed five sixes and three fours in his 25-ball knock while Waqas faced 17 balls and struck a couple of sixes and fours each.
Akhlaq Butt stroked 55 not out to guide Multiplex to the last four stage. His 40-ball knock contained half-a-dozen fours and two sixes and played the anchor role after useful contributions from opener Sarandeep Singh (30) and No. 3 Zeeshan Khan (29).
OST did well to recover from 63 for five in 10 overs to post 142 for seven, thanks to an entertaining 46 not out from lower order Mohammad Azhar. His 26-ball knock was studded with three sixes and an equal number of fours.
