The Awali Camels narrowly defeated the Tornado Riders by 10 runs in an exhilarating clash of the T20 Super KHK League Division B quarter-finals.
The Camels, batting first after losing the toss, posted a competitive total of 141/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Mohamed Ishtiaq played a pivotal role, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 48 off 44 balls, supported by Qadar Gul (30 off 25 balls) and Muhammad Saud Irfan (19 off 18 balls).
Despite a solid start, the Camels lost wickets at regular intervals. Opener Sai Vaddiraju contributed 18 runs off 12 balls before being dismissed by Shabir Khan, while Yasir Adnan (five) and Muzammil Tajir (five) fell cheaply.
The Riders’ bowlers, led by Shabir Khan (2/14 from 4 overs), kept the scoring in check, though a late flourish ensured the Camels posted a total that proved to be just enough.
In response, the Riders were given a brisk start by Syed Qadeer, who smashed a blistering 10 runs from just five balls, including a six, before falling to Muhammad Saud Irfan.
Ranjit Kumar played an important knock of 30 off 19 balls, but the Riders’ chase faltered as wickets tumbled consistently. Shah Nawaz Rasheed (nine), M Naveed Tabasoum (19), and Shahbaz Ahmed Khan (four) were all dismissed in the middle overs, while the tail struggled to keep up with the required run rate.
Key contributions came from Jagwinder Singh (seven), Balwinder Singh (16), and Kulveer Singh (nine), but the Riders’ hopes faded as they finished their 20 overs at 131/10.
The pick of the bowlers for the Camels was Nauman Farooq, who claimed three wickets for just 14 runs from three overs, while Gulzeb Khan (2/19) and Sai Vaddiraju (1/19) also played crucial roles. Mohamed Waqas (2/26) had earlier chipped in with key breakthroughs.
The Camels’ disciplined bowling attack and timely wickets in the death overs sealed a hard-fought win, with the Riders falling 10 runs short of the target.
The standout performer of the match was the Camels’ captain Ishtiaq, whose composed innings of 48 not out under pressure was instrumental in setting up the victory. His ability to anchor the innings and rotate the strike during the middle overs proved crucial in the team’s success.
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