What an unbelievable comeback from the Austrian Cricket Tigers and it's their skipper Aqib Iqbal who hit the winning runs to get them the bronze medal! They were struggling at one stage and they needed 60+ in the final two overs. However Imran Asif went hell for leather at that stage and managed to pick up 51 runs of the two overs of Inzigrul and Kunal Joshi! Mirza Ahsan stayed till the end and hit a couple of crucial big ones towards the back end. In the end, the skipper smashed a few to take them over the line.
Commiserations to the Indian CC Vienna but they were really below par with the ball and especially in the field! They dropped catches and missed chances which cost them in the end. None of their bowlers could make a difference except for Harmeet Singh who bowled two overs for just 11 runs. In the end, it was the Kunal Joshi over that cost them the game as it went for 30 runs.
9
overs
123/1score
4
4
1
0
1
4
runs
Aqib Iqbal*
21(7)
Mirza Ahsan
27(17)
Ahmad Ghani
0/22
8.6 Abdul Ghani to Aqib Iqbal, FOUR! AUSTRIAN CRICKET TIGERS WIN THIS MATCH! Fullish and wide outside off, shapes away. Iqbal leans in and punches it away towards the cover fence and picks up a boundary! That will do the trick.
8.5 Abdul Ghani to Mirza Ahsan, fullish outside off. Ahsan punches it uppishly towards deep cover. Single taken. Almost there!
8.4 Abdul Ghani to Mirza Ahsan, fullish on off and middle. Ahsan punches it back to the bowler.
8.3 Abdul Ghani to Aqib Iqbal, full and wide outside off. Iqbal opens the face of his bat and runs it down wide of point for a single.
8.2 Abdul Ghani to Aqib Iqbal, FOUR MORE! At a length on off and middle. Iqbal comes forward and merely lofts it straight back over the bowler's head for a boundary!
8.1 Abdul Ghani to Aqib Iqbal, FOUR! Fullish down the legside. Iqbal leans in and flicks it away past short fine leg for a boundary! Almost there now.
This has been an incredibly dramatic turnaround from the Austrian Cricket Tigers! The change of bats worked for Mirza Ahsan as he went big in that over. 30 runs came of it including a dramatic dropped chance of the final ball.The run rate is down below 6 now for the batting side.
8
overs
109/1score
1wd
1
6
6
1
6
1wd
2wd
6
runs
Mirza Ahsan*
26(15)
Aqib Iqbal
8(3)
Kunal Joshi
0/44
7.6 Kunal Joshi to Mirza Ahsan, SIX! WOW! At a length on off and middle. Ahsan swings hard at it and sees it go straight to the hands of the fielder at long on. The latter takes the catch but puts his hand down across the fence in order to balance himself! Six runs.
7.5 Kunal Joshi to Aqib Iqbal, WIDE outside off yet again! Iqbal cuts at it and misses, as does the keeper. A run taken.
7.5 Kunal Joshi to Aqib Iqbal, WIDE outside off! Iqbal lets it go through.
7.5 Kunal Joshi to Aqib Iqbal, TIPPED OVER THE FENCE FOR SIX! Fullish outside off. Iqbal lofts it towards long off, where the fielder merely tips it over the fence while attempting to catch it!
7.4 Kunal Joshi to Mirza Ahsan, short on off and middle, comes back in. Ahsan pulls it to deep square leg. A run taken.
7.3 Kunal Joshi to Mirza Ahsan, SIX MORE! Short outside off. Ahsan swivels in the crease and pulls it away over the cow country fence this time for another maximum! The Tigers are getting closer.
7.2 Kunal Joshi to Mirza Ahsan, SIX! Short on off and middle. Ahsan stands tall and pulls it away over the deep midwicket fence for a massive hit!
7.1 Kunal Joshi to Aqib Iqbal, at a length outside off, shapes away. Iqbal prods it towards deep cover. Single taken.
7.1 Kunal Joshi to Aqib Iqbal, WIDE outside off! Iqbal lets it go.