Sohail Khan’s exceptional four-wicket haul proved instrumental in guiding the New York Warriors to a resounding 6-wicket victory over the Atlanta Riders in a thrilling encounter of the US Masters T20 tournament.
After Sohail Khan’s remarkable feat of taking four wickets in four consecutive deliveries, Jonathan Carter exhibited his batting prowess to secure the win for the New York Warriors. Carter’s dynamic performance was highlighted by hitting two crucial sixes in the final two deliveries of the game, sealing the comprehensive victory. For his outstanding contribution, Sohail Khan was named the Player of the Match.
Upon being put to bat first, the Atlanta Riders’ opening duo of Robin Uthappa and Lendl Simmons established a steady foundation. Their combined efforts propelled the Riders to the 50-run mark by the fifth over, showcasing three sixes and four boundaries during this period.
As the openers settled in, they set the stage for a strong finish in the later overs. Despite the New York Warriors’ bowlers attempting to restrict the flow of runs, the Riders reached a score of 72/0 by the seventh over, with Simmons playing a significant role. Simmons contributed 41 runs before being dismissed in the eighth over, and by the conclusion of that over, the Riders’ score stood at 83/1.
Subsequently, Robin Uthappa departed after adding 32 runs to the scoreboard. Dwayne Smith then partnered with Hamilton Masakadza, but the latter was claimed as the next wicket at the outset of the final over. Sohail Khan’s exceptional performance followed, as he achieved a hat-trick by dismissing Hammad Azam and Grant Elliot on consecutive deliveries. Khan’s prowess continued as he removed Harmeet Singh, concluding with four wickets in four deliveries. Smith and Nasir Hossain guided the Riders to a total of 103/6 in their allotted 10 overs.
In response, the New York Warriors’ opener Kamran Akmal was dismissed for 4 runs in the first over. This brought Richard Levi and Tillakaratne Dilshan to the crease. Unfortunately, Levi fell for 4 runs in the second over, courtesy of Elias Sunny’s bowling.
Dilshan and Jonathan Carter took charge, with Dilshan aggressively approaching the game. However, Dilshan’s innings ended at 24 runs in the fifth over, leaving the Warriors at 39/3. Shahid Afridi entered the scene with 62 runs required in the last five overs. Afridi and Carter launched a counter-attack, with Afridi contributing 14 runs before his departure. With two overs remaining, the Warriors needed 30 runs to secure victory and had six wickets in hand.
Carter and Misbah-ul-Haq skillfully reduced the target to 22 runs in the final over. Carter’s three sixes and Misbah’s single six propelled the Warriors to an emphatic finish, achieving victory with six wickets in hand.
Brief Scores: Atlanta Riders 103/6 (Lendl Simmons 41, Robin Uthappa 32; Sohail Khan 4-15, Umaid Asif 1-20) lost by 6 wickets against New York Warriors 109/4 (Jonathan Carter 41*, Tillakaratne Dilshan – 24; Harmeet Singh 2-8, Elias Sunny 1-19)
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-IANS
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