Kabul Zwanan keep Knights winless

sharjah — It was a case of coming so close but yet so far for the Kandahar Knights as they failed to break their duck in the Gulbahar Afghanistan Premier League (APL).

The Asghar Afghan-led side suffered a heartbreaking tworun defeat at the hands of Kabul Zwanan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday night.

The latest loss meant that the Knights are yet to open their account in the tournament after three matches.

Meanwhile, for Zwanan, it was their third win in the competition and their second on the trot after they had beaten the Nangarhar Leopards the other night.

Chasing 174, Asghar Afghan made a fighting 52 from 32 balls with four boundaries and equal number of sixes and although Nasir Jamal (38) and the jettisoned Riki Wessels (46 not out) gave them hope, the Knights fell short.

“It is always disappointing to get that close. It was almost our first win of the tournament. To get that close and to lose by two runs is quite heartbreaking,” said Wessels, who only arrived on Wednesday night and slotted straight into the playing XI after Bangladesh’s Mohammad Mithun had failed to get the NOC from the Bangladesh Cricket Board.