IA, PCA enter semis

Lucknow, May 7 (UNI) Indian Airlines (IA) and Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) made their way into the semi-finals from Pool 'B' of the Sahara City Homes Sheesh Mahal Cricket tournament at the end of the league matches today.

Earlier, Pool 'A' hosts Sahara India and ONGC had already qualified for the semi-finals.

In the semi finals, to be played on wednesday, Sahara India will take on PCA at the K D Singh Babu stadium, while IA will clash with ONGC at the Chowk stadium.

In the last league matches, IA's winning spree was halted by Rashid Laltif XI, beating them by 3 wickets at the Babu stadium, while Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) faced third successive defeat when they were outclassed by PCA at Chowk stadium by 66 runs.

In pool 'B' IA, PCA and Rashid Latif XI each won two encounters and lost one each, but due to points tally IA and PCA with one bonus points, collected 9 points each while Pakistan's team had only 8 points to their credit and were ousted from semi final stages.

After having 9 points each by IA and PCA, the former earned the honour of holding the top place in the pool as PCA was beaten by IA in the league matches.

The other team of the pool 'B' UPCA lost all the three outings, which also cost them two minus bonus points.

At the Babu stadium, Rashid Latif XI tried their best to earn a bonus point, but IA bowlers accurate bowling reduced their wish to ashes.

Batting first, IA put up a total of 209 runs in 40 overs losing 7 wickets and their counterparts accepted their challenge to cross the target successfully, although Pakistan team registered victory in 33.4 overs, they failed to enter the semis.

At the Chowk stadium, UPCA's decision to field first proved costly for them, when the rival's Karan Goel hit a brilliant century (129) of his 156 balls studded with 15 bounderies and two sixes. It was well assisted by skipper Pankaj Dharmani's 78 ball innings of 84 runs, Dharmani hit 7 bounderies and three mighty sixes. Their undefeated third-wicket partnership yeilded 174 runs as PCA pilled up 279/2 in 40 overs.

In quest of their first win, UPCA started with aggression sparing none of the bowlers. At one stage, it seemed they would be able to chase the target, Praveen Kumar (46) and Anshul Kapoor (73) took the score to 105 within the 18th over of the innings, but the lackluster batting by rest of the team members denied them to taste the victory.

The UPCA was booked at 157 runs in 35.2 overs. For the victorious team, L Ablish 2/20, Ankur Kakkar 3/34, S Kalia 2/44 and Karan Goel 2/17 were the successful bowlers.

Tommorow is the rest day.

UNI