That was a demolition job. Nicosia Tigers delineated that they are indeed a far better side than their counterparts. First, they restricted the opposition to a mediocre score and then stormed to the target in just 4.2 overs.
KTL fielders showed no spark. We saw their shoulders starting to droop after the first couple of boundaries were stuck. After that, it seemed as if the bowlers ran in only to deliver the ball where the batter wanted to hit it.
Zeeshan Mehmood made the most of it. He slapped around 7 fours and clubbed away 3 sixes on his way to an unbeaten 48 off just 13 balls. The only area where KTL did better was the extras. They gave away only 4 of them, whilst Nicosia Tigers had sent down 22. In the end, it is a demoralising loss that would be tough to bounce back from.
4.2 Md Najim Ahmed to Jahid Hasan, SIX TO SEAL OFF AN EMPHATIC WIN, pitches this one up in the slot and Jahid Hasan clubs it over cow-corner and gets the victory for Nicossia Tigers
4.1 Md Najim Ahmed to Jahid Hasan, EDGED AND FOUR, nothing going the way of KTL, gets the edge this time does Ahmed but it runs away to the third man fence for a boundary
Md Najim Ahmed, right arm medium, bowls now.
We are just going through the motions now. The dropping shoulders of the KTL fielders can be spotted from afar. Hardeep just bowled length outside off through the over and Zeeshan kept on battering him. No change in plan at any point through that over. They seemed to be resigned to their fate.
4
overs
74/1score
1wd
0
4
6
4
6
4
runs
Zeeshan Mehamood*
48(13)
Jahid Hassan
5(2)
Hardeep Singh
0/25
3.6 Hardeep Singh to Zeesham Mehmood, BRILLIANT HITTING THIS, another poor delivery, short and wide, Mehmood is having a party out there, slashes it in between point and cover, another boundary
3.5 Hardeep Singh to Zeesham Mehmood, ALL THE WAY, pitched up this time and Mehmood goes through the line, gets hold of it and gets SIX
3.4 Hardeep Singh to Zeesham Mehmood, SLAPPED, again a lot of width on offer and Mehmood picks his spot behind point to get another boundary
3.3 Hardeep Singh to Zeesham Mehmood, EASY PICKINGS FOR MEHMOOD, another one which is short and wide, this time he goes over the field, clears everyone and gets a MAXIMUM
3.2 Hardeep Singh to Zeesham Mehmood, FOUR, width offered and Mehmood laces this through the point region and collects a boundary
3.1 Hardeep Singh to Zeesham Mehmood, hits it straight to the fielder on the off side, no run
3.1 Hardeep Singh to Zeesham Mehmood, starts off with a WIDE
Hardeep Singh, right arm medium fast, to bowl now.
The runs keep on flowing. Only 32 more runs for Nicosia Tigers to win this match. Can they do it within the next 4 overs and also pick up a bonus point on the way?
3
overs
49/1score
W
4
1
6
4
1
runs
Zeeshan Mehamood*
24(7)
Jahid Hassan
5(2)
Riazul Islam
1/16
2.6 Riazul Islam to Zeesham Mehmood, gets an inside edge on this one which rolls towards short fine leg, a single taken
2.5 Riazul Islam to Zeesham Mehmood, DRILLED, pitched up and this time Mehmood bangs it back past the bowler, no fielder there, FOUR MORE
2.4 Riazul Islam to Zeesham Mehmood, SHOT, short of a length and Mehmood clubs it over the leg side, does not hit it too hard and gets a FOUR
2.3 Riazul Islam to Jahid Hasan, another inside edge on this length delivery, just a single as this goes straight to short fine leg
2.2 Riazul Islam to Jahid Hasan, LUCKY BOUNDARY, gets a thick inside edge on this one and the ball gathers speed as it runs away to the fine leg fence