Sharjah: Dutch international Ryan ten Doeschate stole the thunder from Laurie Evans as the Balkh Legends opened their campaign with a commanding eight-wicket win over Kabul Zwanan on the second day of the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium late on Saturday.
With Evans threatening to come good for a second time in under one day with a quick-fire 64, it was ten Doeschate’s equally belligerent unbeaten knock of 78 that helped the Balkh Legends sail through for their first full points with seven balls to spare.
Batting first, it looked like Evans was continuing from where he had left off on Friday night with his dominating unbeaten 79 runs for an exciting three-wicket opening win aganst the Paktia Panthers. His skipper Rashid Khan stood tall with an unbeaten 56 off just 27 deliveries as the pair put up an entertaining 96 runs for the fifth wicket to help Kabul Zwanan to a challenging 176 for 6.
At one stage this total seemed distant following a familiar-looking early batting collapse in as many days with Kabul Zwanan tottering to 32 for 3 after the departure of more established stars like Luke Ronchi (11), Hazratullah Zazai (7) and Colin Ingram (9).
With Javed Ahmad ushering in an initial build-up with his 21 runs off 18 deliveries, it was left up to Evans and skipper Rashid Khan to ensure a competitive total for the bowlers to defend. Evans heads the tournament’s top-scorers’ list with 143 runs against his name.
Evans, eventually bowled by Aftab Alam with three deliveries remaining of the final over, picked up Ben Laughlin as his scapegoat smashing the Australian in the 18th over for 24 runs, laced with three huge sixes. Khan was up next turning his ire onto an unsuspecting Ravi Bopara while milking the former England player for 28 runs off the penultimate over.
The Balkh Legends’ chase was well-timed and even better executed as Usman Ghani’s 40 runs served the cause during those initial overs. And once ten Doeschate found his rhythm there was no stopping the 38-year-old South Africa-born player from taking over as former England international Ravi Bopara played the perfect with his unbeaten 38 runs to see their side through easily in the end.
