Gulf News

Afghanista­n and Netherland­s win

Ireland lose with eight balls to spare while Oman go down fighting

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Afghanista­n displayed their might in the first match of the Desert T20 tournament through an impressive five-wicket win over Ireland with eight balls to spare on Saturday night while Netherland­s stopped a fighting Oman by five wickets in the first match yesterday with four balls remaining at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium.

Though Ireland elected to bat first, they could not thrash a tight Afghanista­n bowling attack which restricted them to 125 for six in 20 overs. Ireland’s bowling was also not discipline­d enough to contain the strong Afghanista­n batting line up. Through an all-round show from Mohammad Nabi, who took two wickets for 27 runs and remained unbeaten with 26 runs, Afghanista­n won the match with eight balls to spare.

Ireland began well through openers Paul Stirling and Stuart Poynter by putting on 36 runs. The first to go was Poynter. Nabi clean bowled Poynter for 18 and soon Stirling played Amir Hamza into the hands of Gulbadin Naib at midwicket for 25. Their experience­d skipper William Porterfiel­d, hit run-a-ball 17 runs before playing Hamza onto to his wicket.

Kevin O’Brien, who once hit the fastest century in a World Cup match off just 50 balls against England in 2011, failed to read the spin of Rashid Khan and was trapped leg before for 12. Nabi trapped Greg Thompson leg before for

Afghanista­n bt Ireland by 5 wickets.

Ireland 125 for 6 (Paul Stirling 25, Gary Wilson 23, Amir Hamza 2 for 21, Mohammad Nabi 2 for 27, Rashid Khan 2 for 22) Afghanista­n 126 for 5 in 18.4 overs (Mohammad Shahzad 29, Najeeb Tarakai 31, Mohammad Nabi 26 n.o., Jacob Mulder 2 for 23).

Netherland­s bt Oman by five wickets.

Oman 146 for 7 in 20 overs (Zeehsan Maqsood 34, Khurram Nawaz 26 n.o.. Nasheem Kushi 25) Netherland­s 148 for 5 in 19.2 overs (Michael Rippon 40. Wesley Barresi 48, Roelof van der Merwe 35 n.o., Bilal Khan 2 for 33, Nasheem Kushi 2 for 24)

Today matches: 2pm: 7pm:

Hong Kong vs Oman UAE vs Afghanista­n. three and due to Gary Wilson’s 23 runs Ireland managed a total of above 100 runs.

Afghanista­n openers Mohammad Shahzad (29) and Najeeb Tarakal (31) through a 54-run partnershi­p in 7.5 overs made the target look small. Nabi completed the task with his 26 runs which came off 17 balls with two sixes and one boundary to walk away with the man of the match award.

In the first match yesterday (Sunday), Oman batted first and posted 146 for seven in 20 overs. Though they lost opener Arun Poulose for nine and one-down batsman Aqib Ilyas for four, opener Zeeshan Maqsood (34) kept the scoreboard moving. Though wickets kept falling regularly, Nasheek Khan by hitting 25 runs and Khurram Nawaz (26) ensured a fighting total.

Chasing the score, Netherland­s opener Michael Rippon cracked 40 and wicketkeep­er Wesley Barresi scored 48 but still Oman had the match in their grip before Roelof van der Merwe upset them with an unbeaten 35.

 ?? Ahmed Kutty/Gulf News ?? Wesley Barresi of Netherland­s cuts a ball against Oman at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Ahmed Kutty/Gulf News Wesley Barresi of Netherland­s cuts a ball against Oman at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

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