Both Dhaka Warriors and Mumbai Champs desperately needed a win when they came face to face in the 21st match of ICL Season 2 here in Gurgaon, as they were placed last in the point table. The spark to win was evident from the way Warriors got in to the business, smashing back to back boundaries in the very first over itself, after they padded up for chasing a moderate total of 151/6 in 20 overs. Though Khirid trapped Nazimuddin LBW in the 3rd over, the partnership of Aftab Ahmed and Nafeez paved the way for Dhaka Warriors’ victory by adding 54 runs of just 34 deliveries.

By the time the power play was over, Warriors were marching past much ahead of the required run rate of 7.5 runs with 52 runs on the score board. Aftab once again proved wrong in selecting shots when he was clean bowled by Khanolkar. Then Raza could not help himself from dropping a blooming Kapali, which could have been the turning point of the match as per cricket360 analyzers. On the other end Nafeez pocketed his maiden ICL fifty within 36 balls including a towering six. But he could not escape from Iyer and his appeal for a review of the LBW decision was rejected by the 3rd umpire.

Though Iyer could bowl some balls of fear in to the minds of Dhaka Warriors, Kapali eased the tension by smashing him for a six and four in the 15th over and again for back to back sixes in the 17th over. Cricket360 was sure; Mumbai Champs needed the wicket of Kapali to come back in to the match as the danger man was scoring effortlessly. Finally Dhiman Ghosh’s flick to the fine leg boundary when the scores were leveled brought the much deserving victory for Dhaka Warriors with 6 balls to spare.

In the first innings, Mumbai Champs, playing without their skipper Astle, were sent to bat by Bashar after winning the toss. Mumbai openers threw away their wickets within 4.2 overs for a poor score of 30 runs. Raza and Taufeeq did offer some sort of resistance as the duo put up a partnership of 39 runs. But that too was not of much help to the Champs as Raza got run out when the score was 69. The next 14 balls were a night mare to Mumbai Champs as they could add only 8 runs for the price of three wickets. Cricket360 appreciates Bashar for bringing apt changes in bowling and also for placing right fielder at right place in right time, a plan which crushed Champs in to a sympathetic score of 77 for 6 in the 14th over.

But the wonder boy Khirid came in to rescue Mumbai Champs from collapsing by scalping his maiden ICL fifty facing only 24 balls. He dispatched the ball 8 times to the boundary and four out of it were over the heads. He was well supported by Van Der Wath with 18 runs. They excavated 40 runs out of the last 2 overs to end up their innings at a moderate total of 151/6 at the end of 20 overs.

Alok Kapali was enthroned man of the match for the 2nd time in ICL Season 2 with an amazing knock of 48 runs including 3 huge sixes and 4 boundaries. Cricket360 finds it difficult for Champs to get in to the last four of ICL Season 2 with their 5th loss in this match.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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