Panthers rout Leopards to join Balkh Legends in semis of Afghanistan Premier League

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Panthers rout Leopards to join Balkh Legends in semis of Afghanistan Premier League

Sharjah - The Panthers pounded Nangarhar Leopards by seven wickets on Sunday night.

By Clareto Monsorate

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Published: Mon 15 Oct 2018, 6:51 AM

Last updated: Mon 15 Oct 2018, 8:54 AM

Paktia Panthers and Balkh Legends assured themselves of a semifinal berth in the five-team Gulbahar Afghanistan Premier League.
The Panthers pounded Nangarhar Leopards by seven wickets on Sunday night, while earlier in the day the Legends beat Kabul Zwanan by 21 runs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
The Legends top the standings with 10 points, followed by Panthers on eight. Kabul are on six points with two matches in hand. Leopards with four points have just one match in hand and their chances look grim, while Kandahar Knights have three matches to go but are currently at the bottom with two points.
The Panthers put up an all-round show. First, Shahid Afridi bagged two wickets, took three catches and had a hand in a run-out, while Zia-ur-Rahman impressed with his right-arm medium fast to finish with 3 for 27 and left-arm pacer Isuru Udana bagged two.
Captain and wicket-keeper Mohammad Shahzad too was in the thick of action, getting a stumping, a run-out and a catch.
He was not done yet. The stocky batsman played a match-winning unbeaten 77 which came off just 43 balls and consisted of eight sixes and four fours to ensure the match ended with 32 balls to spare.
Earlier, after winning the toss, the Leopards failed to come to grips with the match. Zia-ur-Rahman sent Najeeb Tarakai back for an early shower and Afridi got rid of Anton Devcich (14), who was coming into this match after a blistering 77 from 46 balls.
Thereafter Johnson Charles (22) and Rahmat Shah (32) and to a certain extent Ben Cutting (21) tried to throw their bats around but runs were hard to come.
clareto@khaleejtimes.com
Brief scores: Nangarhar Leopards 126 all out in 20 overs (Rahmat Shah 32, Johnson Charles 22, Ben Cutting 21; Zia-ur-Rahman 3-27, Shahid Afridi 2-27, Isuru Udana 2-14) Paktia Panthers 128 for 3 in 14.4 overs (Mohammad Shahzad 77 n.o. Ihsanullah Janat 25).


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