Lahore Lions skipper Muhammad Hafeez smashed a 40-ball 67 to power the Pakistan T20 champions to 164 for six against Sri Lankan side Southern Express in the penultimate qualifier of the Oppo Champions League T20, here today.

Put into bat, the openers provided a brisk start as the Lions managed 40 runs in the powerplays. Left-handed opener Umar Siddiq though lost his wicket on the last delivery of the sixth over while trying to dab at a rising Farveez Maharoof (3-28) bouncer and was caught behind for 18.

Maharoof continued the good work by sending back Ahmed Shehzad (29 off 21 balls) and Nasir Jamshed (1) in one over to stop the Lahore surge.

If Shehzad, who was looking dangerous till then, tried a silly-looking 'dilscoop' against Maharoof then Jamshed was guilty of fishing on an away-going delivery to be caught at slip.

Saad Nasim (31) and Hafeez, registering his 22nd T20 fifty, then stuck it out to stitch a superb 75-run fourth-wicket partnership that gave Lahore the perfect platform to finish off on a high in the final overs.

After playing the waiting game between overs 10 and 15, Hafeez cut loose in the 16th over as leg-spinner Seekkuge Prasanna (0-35) came at the wrong end of the stick.

Hafeez hit a boundary and three straight sixes to help the side get 25 runs in the over.

Nasim, though, fell to Charith Jayampathi (1-45) in the 17th over after trying a hit over long on, but was instead caught by Ishan Jayaratne.

Joined in by Umar Akmal (11 not out), Hafeez continued his aggressive play, hitting fours and sixes, to help the side fetch 75 runs from the last five overs.

Medium-pacer Jayaratne (1-29) finally got Hafeez out in the final over of the innings but the damage was already done.

With Wahab Riaz (1) also run out in the final over, Lahore could bag just 9 from the 20th over.

Lahore have a chance of making it to the main draw if they clinch this match while Express, who are yet to win a qualifying game, not only need to win this game but depend on the result of the Mumbai Indians-Northern Knights match to improve their mathematical chances of making it to the main event.
(PTI)