Sharjah: Gulbadin Naib put up a near-flawless display of medium-fast bowling to help the Balkh Legends to the top of the standings with a 13-run result and leave the Kandahar Knights winless at the end of the third day of the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, late on Sunday.
With Monday’s rest day, only the Balkh Legends have a clean record of two wins from two to stay at the top of the standings with four points. Each of the five teams is scheduled to play each other twice before the top four qualify for the semi-finals on October 19 and 20.
Watch: Man of the Match Gulbadin Naib cuts a happy face after taking four wickets for 12 runs in his four overs.
But it was Naib all the way as he finished off his four overs with as many victims at the cost of a stingy 12 runs as the Kandahar Knights fell short by 13 after reaching 152 for 7.
Bent on working out a calculated chase, the Knights’ opening pair of Paul Stirling and Brendon McCullum opened up with the third over sent down by Aftab Alam yielding 15 runs to reach 38 without loss.
But a sudden rush of blood saw Stirling miscue a Gulbadin Naib delivery into Laughlin’s hands. Naib struck off the very next delivery catching new man Karim Sadiq leg before and the Balkh Legends were pegged at 39 for 2. McCullum was next to depart after making 31 from 29 balls, while Karim Janat followed in the 14th over to leave the Knights at 100 for 4.
Needing 54 runs for a win in the final five overs looked feasible with skipper Asghar Afghan and Najibullah Zadran well set at the crease. But Qais Ahmad brought off a diving catch in the deep to dismiss Zadran off Laughlin’s bowling and Nabi had his opposite captain drag onto the stumps with the Knights staring at defeat with 51 needed from 23 balls.
Earlier, the Balkh Legends had stuttered to get an adequate looking total on the board after being put in to bat by Kandahar Knights’ skipper Mohammad Asghar Afghan. And even though most of the top order managed to set themselves up well, none of them followed through with a solid personal contribution, except opener Colin Munro with a quickly made 46 off 24 deliveries till he holed out to Paul Striling.
The first five overs yielded 42 runs and after adding another 45 runs in the next five, the Balkh Legends thirst for runs was stifled as they managed just 32 by the 15th over.
Usman Ghani had been the first to depart after scoring 19 followed by Saturday’s man of the match Ryan ten Doeschate for 13 and the total at 95 for 3. Skipper Mohammad Nabi joined Ravi Bopara in the middle in search of some big hits, but the former Afghanistan limited overs team captain departed after contributing 18 from 13 deliveries and his side at a not so comfortable 125 for 4.
Bopara went after scoring 34 off 29 and it was left up to Gulbadin Naib’s run a ball 14 to see the Balkh Legends finish at 165 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs.
Brief scores
Balkh Legends def. Kandahar Knights by 13 runs: Balkh Legends 165 for 5 in 20 overs (Colin Munro 46, Ravi Bopara 34) Kandahar Knights 157 for 7 in 20 overs (Brendon McCullum 31, Asghar Afghan 45, Amir Hamza 18 not out, Sayed Shirzad 16 not out; Gulbadin Naib 4 for 12). Man of the Match: Gulbadin Naib of Balkh Legends.
Fixtures
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: (8pm) Kabul Zwanan vs Nangarhar Leopards
Wednesday: (8pm) Paktia Panthers vs Balkh Legend
