Worcestershire's Pakistan-born batter Kashif Ali went berserk with a 36-ball 88 in the rain-curtailed One-Day encounter against Derbyshire on August 18. In England's Domestic One-Day Cup 2023 encounter, Kashif went on a rampage as he scored at a stupendous strike rate of 244.44 to help Worcestershire post 254/5 in the 30 overs per side game which helped them win by 62 runs.
After the rain delay, Derbyshire skipper Jake Libby won the toss and opted to bat first. Openers Gareth Roderick and Ed Pollock departed early. Then Rob Jones and Libby shared a 95-run partnership for the third wicket. Jones scored 53 runs from 48 balls including five fours and one six.
Kashif walked into bat in the 18th over. Soon enough, he went berserk and took the aerial route. He reached his half-century with a hat-trick of fours. He took just 21 balls to get to the milestone. He continued the rampage and hit Mark Watt for two sixes and one four. Then he hit Sri Lanka's Suranga Lakmal for two fours as well. But he missed a chance to score his century and got out in the 27th over. In the next over Libby got out for a 60-ball 73 as well. Ben Cox's 11-ball 22 helped Worcestershire post 254/5.
The run chase got off to an ideal start with openers Harry Came and Luis Reece sharing a 77-run stand from 53 balls. Patrick Brown broke the partnership as Came was gone for a 27-ball 34. Reece got to his half-century from 33 balls. Meanwhile, wickets kept falling at the other end and Reece did not get the support in the massive run chase. Haider Ali got out for a golden duck as well. Reece was dismissed in the 23rd over. He scored 96 runs from 64 balls including nine fours and five sixes.
Derbyshire got all out for 192 in the 26th over and lost the match by 62 runs. This was Derbyshire's fifth loss in six games. On the other hand, Worcestershire registered their fifth win in seven games. They are placed third on the points table in Group B.
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