Hologram start Dulsco campaign in style

Hologram Players’ decision to bat first after winning the toss was fully justified by their openers Vishnu KS and Shani Alam.

Hologram Players scored a thumping victory against hosts Dulsco. — Supplied photo

Dubai — Kamran Hussain grabbed the spotlight as Hologram Players started their campaign in thumping fashion by handing hosts Dulsco a 70-run defeat in the opening match of the 14th Dulsco Ramadan Cricket tournament at the Zabeel Park Cricket Ground, Zabeel Park, Dubai, on Friday night.

Batting first, Hologram Players posted 158-9 in the allotted 20 overs with Kamran’s 28-ball 57 providing the vital boost and then skittled out the hosts for 88 in 19.4 overs after Kamran’s four-wicket burst.

Earlier, Hologram Players’ decision to bat first after winning the toss was fully justified by their openers Vishnu KS and Shani Alam.

They raced to a quick 47 before Vishnu was castled by Waqar after hitting a boundary and six in his 14 off 14 balls. Vishnu’s wicket then set the tone for Dulsco bowlers’ domination which fetched them three wickets, Hassan Saood, Sajjad Ali and Rizwan Sadiq being dismissed in quick succession.

Despite wickets falling around him, Shani kept on piling the runs. He hit the ball all around the park and was unfortunate after being run out for 45, which came off 35 balls and contained five boundaries. However, any hopes of keeping the Hologram Players’ innings under control were crushed by Kamran as he scored runs at an amazing pace. His solid hitting saw him blasting three hits to the fence and two over it.

He was also unfortunate like Shani to be run out but his 28-ball 57 had given the team the much-needed momentum as they finished on a challenging 158 for 9. Waqar was Dulsco’s best bowler with 2-24 while Shehbaz Mahmood, Zeeshan Abbas, Gurvinder and Shoaib picked a wicket each.

Dulsco had no answer to Hologram Players’ bowling in their run chase as Kamran and Gopakumar tore into their batting line-up. The hosts did not realise what had struck them as they were 6-9 by the fourth over. Their top four — Sajjad Khalil, Waqar Baig, Shabaz Mohammed and Babar — were dismissed for ducks with Kamran and Gopakumar sharing the spoils. And had it not been for Zeeshan Abbas gritty knock down the order, Dulsco would have been dismissed inside the 50-run mark. Coming as No. 7 bat, Zeeshan blasted three sixes and a four for his 30 off 25 balls.