Afghanistan Premier League: Mohammad Shahzad's half-century gives Paktia Panthers victory

Sport360 staff 21:17 07/10/2018
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  • Shahid Afridi (r) scored 19 runs for Paktia Panthers

    Paktia Panthers beat the Nangarhar Leopards by 21 runs to become the first team to successfully defend a score in the Afghanistan Premier League (APL).

    Led by Mohammad Shahzad’s fifty, Panthers scored 184-8 and defended with a strong bowling performance upfront. Although Ben Cutting gave the Leopards a glimmer of hope, it was too little, too late.

    Leopards were rocked early in the run-chase by the left-armer Isuru Udana. The dangerous Johnson Charles was bowled in the first over and Anton Devcich was later departed. It was a struggle from thereon with the Panthers spinners building the pressure with tight overs.

    Panthers set tight fields and bowled a disciplined line to maintain the pressure. Najeeb Tarakai (12), Rahmat Shah (7) and Shafiqullah (10) weren’t given the opportunity to flourish and fell within the first ten overs – by which time the Leopards had only gotten past 50 and lost half their side.

    Hashmatullah Shahidi and Cutting managed a fighting partnership in the face of the mounting required rate. Considering the way this pair accelerated in the slog overs, Leopards would have rued the slow start and those early wickets.

    They brought up their 50-run stand in 37 balls but the next fifty took only a further 17 deliveries. Leopards got back into the game when Cutting smashed Yousuf Zazai for two sixes and three fours in the 18th over — leaving them with 34 to get off the last two. Udana’s disciplined effort in the penultimate over ensured it was a tall order for the Leopards despite Cutting’s heroics, which featured five fours and six sixes.

    Earlier, Shahzad had won the toss and chose to bat, unleashing his aggression yet again. On route to his second consecutive fifty in the tournament, Shahzad was in his elements — dispatching the ball to all parts of the ground. Although Ihsanullah fell early, the intent from Panthers was clear — they wanted to make the most of the friendly batting conditions.

    Along with South African Cameron Delport (38), Shahzad added 80. The pair was set and were looking dangerous to launch from the solid platform when Zahir Khan broke through Delport’s defence in the 10th over. Panthers suffered a mini-collapse with Shahzad run-out soon after. Zahir then bowled the dangerous Sikandar Raza for only eight, leaving Paktia Panthers struggling at 115 for four. Zahir’s spell of two for 22 in the middle overs was crucial in restricting Paktia Panthers under 200.

    Samiullah Shenwari then stabilised the innings with Shahid Afridi (19). He batted through to the 20 overs for a useful 38, taking Panthers past the 180-mark.

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