Farce and Duckworth-Lewis see Sialkot home

Group A
Faisalabad Wolves, one of the favourites for the title, got themselves up and running in the competition with a 24-run win over Lahore Eagles. And as in their two-run loss in their opening game, it was skipper Misbah-ul-Haq once again leading the way. He followed his 53 with another cultured innings, an unbeaten 60 that led the Wolves to a par score of 162. The Eagles never soared, losing Ashfaq Ahmed off the second ball of the innings. No one scored more than 29 as Shahid Nazir (two for 26) led a strong Wolves attack to consign the Eagles to their first defeat.

Group B
Farce, controversy, Duckworth and Lewis conspired to produce a two-run win for defending champions Sialkot Stallions against the Karachi Zebras. Being bundled out for 106 was no way for champions to start their defense, with only Rana Naved-ul-Hasan's 28 denying Malik Aftab (4 for 17) and Danish Kaneria (3 for 11). But when the Zebras came out to bat, Mohammad Asif and Naved-ul-Hasan reminded everyone just why the Stallions remain favourites this year. Together they reduced the Zebras to 69 for five, despite a clever partnership between Faisal Iqbal and Hasan Raza that ended with both batsmen throwing their wickets away. At that stage, 69 for five, the match was wide open but a floodlight failure meant that no further progress could be made. The umpires chose not to wait too long for a potentially exciting climax, whereupon entered Duckworth and Lewis.

Group C
In a match studded with superstar comebacks, it was the unheralded leg-spin of Imranullah Aslam that led the Multan Tigers to a 21-run win over the Islamabad Leopards. Aslam took five for 17 as the Leopards crashed chasing 148, only Bazid Khan making an impression, with 53. Shabbir Ahmed did his continuing rehabilitation no harm, supporting Aslam with three wickets. But the one player all eyes were on didn't distinguish himself: Shoaib Akhtar, leading the Leopards, ended with none for 30 from his four overs, including 20 off the last. Instead, it was team-mate Azhar Mahmood, whispered off as a potential returnee for the World Cup, with three for 17, who did much of the damage.

Group D
Mohammad Wasim did as all good openers do, carrying his bat through 20 overs for Rawalpindi Rams, as he led them to a comfortable 20-run win over Quetta Bears. Wasim, a former Pakistan Test opener, made 86 but it was only a sixth-wicket partnership with the feisty Yasir Arafat, who made 43, that led the Rams to 172. No one could replicate Wasim's contribution for the Bears, a number of batsmen like Shoaib Khan (44) getting off to a good start but not finishing. Emblematic, ultimately, of the Bears finishing close, but not close enough.