Sunrisers, Volts qualify for Champions League

Captain Shikhar Dhawan continued his red hot form and guided Sunrisers Hyderabad to a seven-wicket win over Faisalabad Wolves at the PCA Stadium here Wednesday.

The second successive win in the Champions League qualifiers ensured Sunrisers a smooth entry into the main tournament alongside New Zealand's Otago Volts.

Dhawan (59 runs off 50 balls) struck his second straight fifty as the Hyderabad franchise got past Wolves' 127 for five in 17.3 overs. Misbah-ul-Haq's 56 was for a losing cause.

Sunrisers and Volts play each other in a dead rubber Friday before heading into the Champions League group stages beginning Saturday. Wolves will look to end their tournament on a high when they take on Sri Lanka's Kandurata Maroons in the first game Friday.

"The experience of playing here is really good for the guys who haven't played international games. It's a great opportunity for them. I think it's time for the guys to show something, they have experience of two games now. We'll try to come good in the next game and go home with something positive," said Haq at the post-match presentation.

Star-studded Sunrisers looked a much superior unit against Wolves, who have no foreigners in their squad.

The Pakistani side were impressive with the ball in patches but their batting led to their downfall.

Dhawan's sublime knock was easily the highlight of the day. He played the dangerous Saeed Ajmal with ease. A gentle push through the covers off Ajmal was one of his six delightful boundaries.