Naib stars in Legends’ win over Kandahar

sharjah — Gulbadin Naib rocked Kandahar Knights with four wickets to steer Balkh Legends to a 13-run victory in the Gulbahar Afghanistan Premier League at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday night.

Chasing 166 to win, Kandahar were off to a decent start from Paul Stirling and Brendon McCullum with a 39-run openingwicket partnership. The duo picked on Aftab Alam, taking him for 15 runs in one over.

But once Naib was introduced and no sooner he got Stirling out for 20 and McCullum for 31, it was all downhill for Kandahar.

Karim Sadiq faced just one delivery and was plumb to Naib, who later returned to remove the dangerous Kevin O’Brien to finish with impressive bowling figures of 4-0-12-4.

Barring Asghar Afghan’s 45, none of the other batsmen could stay at the wicket to see their team home and in the end they were short by 14 runs to get to their target.

Earlier, put into bat, Balkh Legends failed to capitalise on a rapid start given to them by Colin Munro and Usman Ghani. The duo raced to 48 before Ghani was run out with both batsmen stranded at one end.

The stage was perfectly set for one-down batsman Ryan ten Doeschate to play the kind of innings he played against Kabul Zwanan on Saturday night, where his unbeaten 78 helped the Legends to a comprehensive eight-wicket win. But with Munro in top gear, Ryan remained a spectator at the other end.

Frustration took its toll on the Dutchman and he holed out to Brendon McCullum in the deep. Munro too departed after that for a quickfire 46 from 24 balls which was peppered with four fours and three sixes.