Recently retired former Afghanistan skipper Asghar Afghan was on fire in the Howzat Legends League Cricket (LLC) clash between Asian Lions and Indian Maharajas. Getting his first chance to bat in the tournament, Afghan smoked seven sixes and four fours in his unbeaten 69 off just 28 balls. Later while defending the total, he took two wickets in three balls to end Maharajas chance of chasing down the target of 194. In the end, Lions registered a comfortable 36-run victory to reach to the top of the points table.
Unimpressive run chase
Chasing a total of 194, Maharajas lost the early wicket of Naman Ojha, who scored a century in the previous game against World Giants. Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar got the big wicket with the new ball. Akhtar would have got the wicket of opener Wasim Jaffer as well had Mohammad Rafique not dropped his catch. Subramaniam Badrinath failed to make an impact as well and got out for a single-digit score. Skipper Mohammad Kaif had to leave the field early as he pulled a muscle in his calf. Jaffer’s wicket in the eighth over created more pressure in the run chase. He scored a 25-ball 35 before getting out to Rafique.
Yusuf Pathan and Stuart Binny tried to revive the run chase but succumbed to the increasing pressure of required run rate. Pathan scored 21 whereas Binny scored 25. In the 14th over, Afghan got the wickets of Pathan and Kaif as the latter returned to the field with an intention to hit big. In the end Manpreet Gony hit a few sixes to entertain the crowd but it was not enough to help Maharajas make a comeback. Maharajas managed to score 157/8 and fell well short of the target which had a major impact on their net run rate.
Tharanga, Afghan change the game
Lions’ innings did not get off to a great start either as Tillakaratne got out for a golden duck to Binny. Wicketkeeper-batter Romesh Kaluwitharana looked lacklustre as he managed just 13 runs off 15 deliveries. Upul Tharanga continued his golden run in the tournament with third consecutive fifty. Tharanga kept firing from one end. Mohammad Yousuf showed promise but failed to make a mark with 24-ball 26. In the 14th over, Afghan joined Tharanga at the crease. He started by hitting 17 runs off Nikhil Chopra’s over. In the 17th over, he decimated Binny’s bowling with three consecutive sixes and a boundary. While Tharanga got out for 45-ball 72, Afghan carried on and completed his half-century off just 23 deliveries in the penultimate over. He also hit two sixes in the final over to help Lions post a daunting total.
