Scorecard & ball-by-ball highlights Kandahar Knights vs Nangarhar Leopards, Match 2, Sharjah
Ben Cutting starred with a five-for before Nangarhar Leopards batsmen chased down a target of 140 easily with six wickets in hand to defeat Kandahar Knights in the second game of the inaugural Afghanistan Premier League.
After electing to bat first, the star-studded Kandahar side could only post 139/9. International stars Paul Stirling, Brendon McCullum and Kevin O’Brien failed to capitalize on the starts while Afghanistan national team skipper Asghar Afghan and top-order batsman Karim Sadiq failed as well. It was 20-year-old Karim Janat who steadied the ship for after the Knights were reduced to 4-46 at one stage.
Ben Cutting was the star of the show for Nangarhar as he finished with the figures of 5/28, including the scalps of McCullum, Janat, Najibullah Zadran, Amir Hamza and Sayed Shirzad.
In reply, the Leopards rode on cameos from top and middle-order to cruise home inside 19 overs with six wickets in hand. Openers Johnson Charles (30) and Najeeb Tarakai (32) provided a solid foundation. There was a slight hiccup in the middle overs when Anton Devcich and Rahmat Shah fell quickly, but experienced Hashmatullah Shahidi and skipper Shafiqullah ensured their side reached home without any further scare.
Ben Cutting was deservingly adjudged player of the match.
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