Global T20 Canada, Vancouver Knights vs Winnipeg Hawks, 5th Match: 5 Talking Points

The trend of bowling first continued as Vancouver Knights captain Chris Gayle won the toss and opted to field first. It was a perfect start for them as Winnipeg Hawks lost David Warner as early as the 2nd over. Lendl Simmons was looking good as he hit 24 in 17 balls before a 3-wicket burst from Fawad Ahmed derailed WPH’s innings.

An unbeaten 49 from Tion Webster and a 30 from skipper Dwayne Bravo pushed the score beyond 150. Andre Russell (1/21) and Sheldon Cottrell (3/28) bowled extremely well and played a big part in restricting WPH.

In reply, Ali Khan bowled an excellent first over and nipped out Chris Gayle. VCK then lost a couple more wickets in the powerplay but Babar Hayat held fort and struck a match-winning 65 to help VCK get to their first win.

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#5 David Warner misses out for the second time in a row

David Warner is one player who grabs everyone’s attention. And after the recent ball-tampering scandal that took place in the Cape Town Test match where he was banned for 1 year by Cricket Australia (CA), all eyes are bound to be on him every time he steps onto the field.

Warner perished early in his first game on return to competitive cricket as he lasted just two deliveries. Like the first game, even in this game again, Warner got off the mark off his first delivery. But the VCK bowlers didn’t bowl anything full to the former Australian vice-captain. Both Tim Southee and Sheldon

Cottrell kept it back of a length before the latter got one to bounce a little and Warner failed to get it over backward point and was out for just 4.

It was the second consecutive single-digit score for Warner and it’s not been an ideal return to cricket for him.

#4 Fawad Ahmed’s 3-wicket burst

Pakistan-born leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed who plays for Australia was VCK’s most economical bowler in their first game. He had figures of 1/35 in his 4 overs and had picked up the wicket of his country-mate Steve Smith.

Ahmed came into bowl in the final over of the powerplay and turned the game. After Warner’s early dismissal, Simmons was looking in good touch and was striking it well. But the 36-year-old leg-spinner who plays for Victoria ended the West Indian opener’s stay at the crease having him caught at long-off. He then castled Ben McDermott as the leggie foxed the wicket-keeper batsman with a well-disguised wrong’un.

He then got the big wicket of David Miller as he trapped the South African star LBW for 11. Ahmed had figures of 3/18 in his 3 overs before he was hit for 15 in his last as he ended with figures of 3/33 in his 4 overs.

#3 Tion Webster and Dwayne Bravo help WPH get to 156

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Dwayne Bravo didn’t get a proper hit with the bat in the first game. But in this game, he walked out to bat when his team was in deep trouble. Tion Webster joined him in the middle in the 11th over and the duo shared a vital 54-run stand for the sixth wicket. Bravo scored 30 and Webster made an unbeaten 49.

While Bravo struck 3 sixes and 2 fours during his 17-ball knock, Webster struck five sixes in his 34-ball stay at the crease. The former though was dismissed in the 17th over and it looked like the Hawks would not get to 150 but some lusty blows from Webster and a couple of sixes from Mark Deyal took WPH to 156.

#2 Ali Khan’s fiery first spell

USA pacer Ali Khan was one of the best bowlers for Hawks in their opening game. He continued his good form in this game as he bowled an excellent first spell.

Defending 157, Ali Khan opened the bowling and bowled a very good first over. He didn’t give Chris Gayle any room or anything in his arc on the first three deliveries before trapping him plumb in front on the fourth delivery. It was one wicket that he would definitely remember for a long time. He finished off the over brilliantly as well as he bowled the first maiden of the tournament.

In Ali’s second over, Chadwick Walton top-edge one for six before he edged one to slip. He did concede 13 runs in his second over as he gave away 6 wides in that over.

#1 Babar Hayat’s 65 leads Knights to their first win

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Chasing 156, VCK were wobbling at 39/3 when star batsman Evin Lewis got out. Chris Gayle and Chadwick Walton were already back in the hut. That’s when Hong Kong star Babar Hayat took charge. He smashed a 33-ball 65 as he shared a match-winning 96-run stand with Rassie van der Dussen who scored a patient 39 in 44 balls.

Hayat started sedately as he got to 14 off 11 balls as he was largely looking to rotate the strike and limit the damage. But once he got his first six away in 11th over, there was no stopping him. He got to fifty in 26 balls and was dismissed on 65. But he had done his job as VCK needed just 20 when he was bowled by Dwayne Bravo.

Hayat struck 3 fours and 5 sixes in his 33-ball match-winning innings as he took the Knights from a wobbling position to a winning one.