Saudi Binladen XI and SBG Baroom are set to fight for YACA Twenty20 League title after beating Serandib XI and Punjab XI respectively in the semifinals here over the weekend. The first semifinal of the tournament sponsored by Ocean Restaurant saw SGB Baroom beat Punjab XI by three wickets. Put into bat Punjab XI was bundled out for 120 runs in 18 overs. Punjab XI had a very nervous start and it was reeling at 13-3 after three overs. Irfan and Asghar tried to shape up the innings but the latter's dismissal at 42 saw another crash which left Punjab XI at 67-7 after 9 overs. The eighth-wicket pair of Abdul Rahman (41) and Bassim Chisti took the total to 107 but Punjab XI was still out in the 18th over for 120 runs. Ataullah took three wickets, Arshad and Amanullah took two each while Saeed bagged one. SGB also started badly and was 24-2, but Amanullah (39), Rashid (14), and Tauqeer (25) took the team closer to victory. SGB scored the required runs in 18 overs for the loss of seven wickets. Saif took two wickets while Rizwan, Yassir and Bassim took one wicket each. Amanullah was adjudged thee Man of the Match for his 39 runs and 2 wickets. The second semifinal saw Binladen XI beat Serandib XI by 20 runs. Put into bat Binladen scored 145 runs in 19.4 overs. It started shakily as it was two down for 25 runs after five overs. Ali and Arshad took the total to 70. Farasat, Ali, Arshad, Abdullah and Arsalan were the batsmen to reach double figures as Binladen XI was bowled out for 145 runs. Sanjeeva took three wickets, while Senaka took two and Amir one. Amir (22) and Senaka opened the Serandib XI and took the score to 37. Despite good partnerships first between Sanjeeva and Amir and then between Sanjeeva and Thahir Serandib XI could score only 125-8 in the allotted 20 overs. Mohammad Abdullah and Ali took two wickets each for 11 and 16 runs respectively. Ali of Binladen XI was adjudged the Man of the Match for scoring 40 runs and taking two wickets. __
