YANBU – Not even the peak summer temperature could evaporate the spirit of cricket enthusiasts here as semifinalists were decided in the YACA T20 Day-Night Cup. And the new grass ground with water sprinklers and flood lights for night cricket kicks up the enthusiasm and the interest for the game is soaring. Defending champion and points table toppers Pak Crescent will now take on fourth placed Cristal Global Eleven and the No. 2 Saudi XI will fight it out with No. 3 Kabbani Cosma in the semifinals. Pak Crescent has underlined its superiority by remaining unbeaten in the tournament so far. Its main strength is batting as Saleem and Zahid are capable of flaying any attack. And Waseem, Sarfaraz and Kamran have the potential of bowling out the opponent on their day. Its rival Cristal is also studded with some experienced players that include all-rounders Naseem and Ahmedullah, and consistent fast bowlers Jamil and Bilal. Saudi XI has the resources to spoil Pak Crescent's party and pull off an upset. The unique feature of this team is that it has five Saudi nationals in its lineup. One of them is 15-year old As'aad Nadwi who is also the youngest player in Division I. Saudi XI also have stalwarts like Afzal, Mazhar and Mohammad Abdullah Khan who are known for their all-round game. Saudi XI's opponent in the second semifinal, Kabbani Cosma, is a new entrant in Division I. Its batsmen Ejaz, Waseem and Ehsan have quality but their main concern will be the bowling department.
