The second day of the inaugural Afghanistan Premier League saw some stunning individual performances with Australian all-rounder Ben Cutting picking up five wickets – including a hat-trick – and Afghanistan star spinner Rashid Khan turning up the heat with the bat during a whirlwind fifty that included five sixes.
Cutting was on song as he snared five to help Nangarhar Leopards to victory over Kandahar Knights in Sharjah on Saturday.
Cutting finished with excellent figures of 5-28, his maiden five for in the T20 format, to restrict Kandahar to 139-9. The total did not trouble Nangarhar as they eased to 142-4 to win by six wickets with nine balls to spare.
Cutting took the wicket of Amir Hamza in the last ball of the 17th over before returning to bowl the 20th. In the first two balls ball of the final over, the Aussie dismissed Karim Janat and Sayed Shirzad to complete his five-wicket haul and hat-trick. Janat top-scored for Kandahar with 39.
In the chase, Nangarhar never lost sight of the target. Openers Najeeb Tarakai (32) and Johnson Charles (30) added 46 inside six overs. They coasted to victory from thereon.
@rashidkhan_19 was at his best with the batting today against #BalkhLegends !#APLT20 #GAPLT20 #GulbaharAPLT20 #WeyarDaAfghanano pic.twitter.com/wg6I7AXk1I
— NAJIB NASERI (@najibnaseri786) October 6, 2018
In the second match of the night, Kabul Zwanan registered an impressive 176-6 after struggling at 76-5 at one stage. Their revival was powered by a superb knock of 56 from just 27 balls by Rashid. The star spinner smashed three fours and five sixes – including four in one over against England’s Ravi Bopara – to guide his team to a big total against Balkh Legends. He added 96 with Laurie Evans (64) for the sixth wicket.
Captain Rashid was on target with the ball as well, finishing with 1-24 from his four overs but it wasn’t enough as Balkh coasted to an eight-wicket win with seven balls to spare. Veteran Dutch all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate hit an unbeaten 78 to seal victory.
