Summary Northern Districts beats Mumbai Indians, taking itself and Lahore Lions through to main tournament
RAIPUR, INDIA: (Dunya News, Web desk) – Lahore Lions defeated Southern Express today (Tuesday) in its final game of the qualifying stages of Champions League Twenty-20 (CLT20) 2014. Lahore Lions defeated the Sri Lankan side by 55 runs.
Perera won the toss for Southern Express and chose to field today. Umar Siddiq (18) and Ahmed Shahzad (29) gave Lahore Lions a stable start as both had scored 40 runs off the first 6 overs. Umar Siddiq was the first to go but Ahmad Shahzad and Nasir Jamshed did not take long to follow and it didn’t take Lahore Lions long to find themselves lingering at 52 for the loss of 3 wickets.
However, skipper Mohammad Hafeez and saad Nasim changed the complexion of the game completely. Hafeez scored a quick-fire 67 runs off 40 balls glittering with 5 boundaries and 4 sixes. He got dismissed only in the last over but by then the total score of the team had already reached 160 and the team looked set to give tough time to Southern express. Saad Nasim’s 31 off 21 balls also played key role in allowing Lahore Lions to score 164 runs for the loss of 6 wickets. Umar Akmal remained not out at 11 runs off 8 balls.
Southern Express came out to bat with an added pressure as any total beyond 150 was going to be tough. The team looked under pressure from the very first ball and skipper Perera was the first to go who was caught by Umar Akmal behind the stumps off Aizaz Cheema’s bowling. Very next ball knocked the stumps out of the ground as Gunathilaka was unable to read his quickie. As Southern Express found itself 2 down for 27 runs only. Cheema struck again in the next over and got Sampath out.
Lankans were never able to find their feet back and though Mubarak and AK Perera added 44 runs in 4th wicket partnership but as Mubarak got out after scoring 35 runs off 26 balls, Southern Express lost it completely and lost 3 more wickets within next 8 balls.
Aizaz Cheema was pick of the bowlers who took 3 wickets. Wahab Riaz and Adnan Rasool got 2 wickets each while Hafeez and Imran Ali claimed 1 wicket each.
It was only a formality afterwards and Southern Express was all out for 109. Lahore Lions won the match by 55 runs and Mohammad Hafeez was Man of the Match for his brilliant 67 off 40 and 1 wicket. "We knew we had to win, and win comprehensively, and the boys have done the job”, Hafeez said.
But though Lahore Lions had claimed the game, they hadn’t yet qualified for the main round of the tournament because Mumbai Indians were still ahead of them in terms of Run Rate. However, Northern Districts could have knocked Mumbai Indians out completely and made way for Lahore Lions during the process and that was exactly what they did.
Though Lahore Lions had claimed the game, they hadn’t yet qualified for the main round of the tournament because Mumbai Indians were still ahead of them in terms of Run Rate. However, Northern Districts could have knocked Mumbai Indians out completely and made way for Lahore Lions during the process and that was exactly what they did.
Mumbai Indians never looked convincing after losing the toss and put to bat by DR Flynn. Mike Hussey was the first to go off Tim Southee’s bowling and there was no looking back for the Northern Districts who got Jalaj Saxena for 10, Simmons for 13, Rayudu for 6 and wicket-keeper Tare for 7. Though there was resistance shown by the batsmen who came later, especially skipper Pollard was brilliant for his 31 off 24, but entire team could not make it past 132 and were all out.
Williamson and Devcich gave Northern Districts a flying start and at the end of eighth over, Northern Districts were 80 for no loss and were clearly ahead of the required run rate. In the ninth over, Northern Districts lost its first wicket when Devcich came down the wicket on a Harbhajan’s ball and got it caught inside the 25 meters circle. Northern Districts lost its way a bit after fall of this wicket and found itself 115 for 4. However, Mitchell and Styris took the game through and won the game with 16 balls to spare.
Scott Styris was the Man of the Match for his 3 wickets. Northern Districts made its way through to the tournament.
Though Lahore Lions had to wait for a few hours before celebrating but they surely did when Styris hit Ojha for a triple on second ball of the eighteenth over.
Though Lahore Lions had to wait for a few hours before celebrating but they surely did when Styris hit Ojha for a triple on second ball of the eighteenth over.
