Passage to India crowned Premier Division T20 champions

MUSCAT: Passage to India clinched the Premier Division T20 crown after a magnificent 111-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Syed Amir Ali (67 off 51) and Sultan Ahmed (36 not out off 28) set up a thrilling four-run win over Assarain at the Ministry of Sports Affairs Ground in Al Amerat.

Passage to India (PTI), who still had a match in hand, earned 13 poins, same as Assarain but the former won the championship for having secured more number of wins. According to the tournament playing rules, in case the teams had equal points after completing their quota of games, the winners would be decided by the number of wins. If the number of wins was also equal, then the team with better net run rate would be declared the champions.

By beating Assarain, PTI has secured six victories in seven games, the highest in the competition, against Assarain’s five from eight matches. PTI were scheduled to play their final game against Enhance on Monday night.

Batting first, PTI were in deep trouble at 39 for six by the eighth over but they were rescued by the game-saving partnership between Sultan and Amir Ali, who struck two towering sixes too in his knock, to post a fighting 155 for seven in 20 overs.

Dream double

While Rafiullah took two wickets for Assarain, Shakeel Ahmed was once again outstanding with the ball, conceding only nine runs in his fourover spell in which he dismissed No. 3 Rana Muhammed Naeem.

Looking to complete a dream double after winning the 50-over league title, Assarain were decently placed at 108 for five in 14 overs but lost the plot as soon as Ramkumar Pandarathil got out after an entertaining 24 off 18 including three sixes, folding up for 151 in 18.4 overs.

Sami-ur Rahman (35 off 23) and Muhammed Nadeem (24 off 18) were the other main scorers.

For Passage to India, Bilal Khan, Muhammed Zahir Siddiqui and Syed Amir Kaleem took two wickets apiece.

Brief scores: PTI 155 for 7 in 20 overs (Syed Amir Ali 67, Sultan Ahmed 36 n.o.) bt

151 all out in 18.4 overs (Sami-ur Rahman 35, Ramkumar Pandarathil 27, Muhammed Nadeem 24; Bilal Khan 2/21, Muhammed Zahir Siddiqui 2/33, Syed Amir Kaleem 2/34).

Assarain