Double delight for Passage to India in T20 league
Times News Service
MUSCAT: Passage to India (PTI) started its T20 League campaign with a double delight, scoring two victories in two days, as Enhance and Al Turki NMC ensured Assarain remained winless on an action-packed weekend at Amerat’s picturesque turf grounds.
Having lost to Al Turki on Friday, Assarain was handed a 5-wicket defeat by Enhance on Saturday thanks to an amazing opening spell by left-arm pacer Mazhar Alam, who picked up 3 wickets for only 6 runs in his 4 overs, restricting the Premier Division table-topper to a lowly 104 for 9 in 20 overs. Captain Wasim Ali bowled well too, taking 2 for 19 in 4 overs.
Enhance did not face much trouble overhauling the small total, racing to the target in just 17 overs, scoring 105 for 5. Young Wasim had great fun under the sun, clobbering ace fast bowler Kaleemullah for two consecutive sixes in his unbeaten 39 off 34. Sanuth Ebrahim bagged two wickets.
Brief scores
(Premier T20): Assarain 104 for 9 in 20 overs (Sindo Michael 23 – 2x4, Shakeel Ahmad 21 – 3x4. Mazhar Alam 3-06, Wasim Ali 2-19) lost to Enhance 105 for 5 in 17 overs (Wasim Ali 39 not out – 2x4, 2x6, Khawar Ali 16 – 3x4. Sanuth Ebrahim 2-16) by 5 wickets.
Easy win for PTI
In the other match on Saturday, Zeeshan Siddiqui slammed 52 not out to power PTI to a comfortable 6-wicket win over Al Turki.
Batting first, Al Turki was restricted to 132 for 8 in 20 overs, Twinkle Bhandari hitting 51 off 46, including 4 big sixes. Amir Kaleem and Mohammed Bilal claimed three wickets each while Bilal Khan took two.
Known for his strokeplay, Zeeshan slammed 3 huge sixes in his entertaining knock as PTI raced to the target in the 17th over, scoring 134 for 4. Amir Ali remained unbeaten at 30 off 20 while Ami Kaleem contributed 22 off 15.
(Premier T20): Al Turki NMC 132 for 8 in 20 overs (Twinkle Bhandari 51 – 2x4, 4x6, Ajay Lalcheta 19 – 1x4, 1x6. Amir Kaleem 3-26, Mohammed Bilal 3-40, Bilal Khan 2-19) lost to PTI 134 for 4 in 16.4 overs (Zeeshan Siddiqui 52 not out – 4x4, 3x6, Amir Ali 30 not out – 2x4, 2x6, Amir Kaleem 22 – 1x4, 2x6) by 6 wickets.
Brief scores Machhi, Bilal spur PTI
Earlier on Friday, Pruthvikumar Machhi (55 off 47) and Mohammed Bilal (3 for 27) were the stars of PTI’s 44-run victory against Enhance at Oman Cricket’s turf ground 1.
PTI posted a robust 159 for 8, Machhi leading the way with a slid knock. Zeeshan Siddiqui scored 26 off 20, including two sixes. Star Omani all-rounder Sufiyan Mahmood bagged 4 for 28.
Failing to pose a serious challenge, Enhance folded up for a meagre 115 in 16.2 overs. Sufiyan topscored with 29 off 21 with two big sixes while Khurram Khan and Khawar Ali contributed 28 and 21 respectively. Mohammed Bilal was the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets while Ahmed Fayyaz Butt and Amir Kaleem bagged two each.
(Premier T20): PTI 159 for 8 in 20 overs (Pruthvikumar Machhi 55 – 9x4, Zeeshan Siddiqui 26 – 1x4, 2x6. Sufiyan Mahmood 4-28, Sachin Kumar 2-47) trounced Enhance 115 all out in 16.2 overs (Sufyan Mahmood 29 – 2x6, Khurram Khan 28 – 2x4, 2x6, Khawar Ali 21 – 3x4, 1x6. Mohammed Bilal 3-27, Ahmed Fayyaz Butt 2-24, Amir Kaleem 2-24) by 44 runs.
Brief scores Lalcheta shines for Al Turki
Star all-rounder Ajay Lalcheta was instrumental in Al Turki inflicting an unexpected 13-run defeat on Assarain.
Batting first, Al Turki was helped by useful contributions from Gulam Shaikh (30), Jignesh Patel (24 not out) and Lalcheta (19) as its posted 146 for 7 on the board. Spinners Shakeel Ahmad and Sanuth Ebrahim took two wickets each.
Having slumped to 54 for 4 in the 7th over, Assarain could not really recover enough to pose a serious threat to Al Turki’s total, falling short by 13 runs when it was dismissed for 133 in the final over. Sanuth topscored with 29 while Muhammed Nadeem and Naseem Khushi contributed 24 and 21. Lalcheta scalped three wickets while Rohit Malik and Gopendra Bohara claimed two each.
Brief scores
(Premier T20): Al Turki NMC 146 for 7 in 20 overs (Gulam Shaikh 30 – 3x4, 1x6, Jignesh Patel 24 not out – 1x6, Ajay Lalcheta 19 – 1x4, 1x6. Shakeel Ahmad 2-23, Sanuth Ebrahim 2-26) defeated Assarain 133 all out in 19.4 overs (Sanuth Ebrahim 29 – 2x4, Muhammed Nadeem 24 – 2x4, Naseem Khushi 21 – 2x4, 2x6. Ajay Lalcheta 3-36, Rohit Malik 2-14, Gopendra Bohara 2-22) by 13 runs.