DOHA: Misbah-ul-Haq made a quickfire 44 before Shahid Afridi struck two wickets in an over to help Asia Lion beat World Giants by 35 runs in a rain-reduced match of the Legends League Cricket Masters yesterday.  The match started with a delay of more than two hours, forcing the umpires to curtail the game to 10 overs per side. World Giants skipper Aaron Finch opted to bowl first and utilized his spinners to take advantage of the damp pitch and wet outfield. The former Sri Lanka opening pair of Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan struggled greatly early on, and when the left-hander Tharanga decided to shift the gear he was out stumped off Ricardo Powell in the second over. Dilshan kept the scoreboard ticking with ones and twos, and occasional boundaries but could not find meaningful support from the other end as no.3 Thisara Perera was bowled out by Paul Collinwood while Shahid Afridi was dismissed by Chris Gayle on a paltry 2. Misbah, however, continued his momentum from the last game as he smashed seven boundaries including three maximum during his 19-ball 44.

He gathered a 50-run partnership with Dilshan to steer Asia Lion to 99 for 3 in their allotted 10 overs.

World Giant, on the other hand, had a flourishing start to their chase as Chris Gayle and Lendl Simmons gave a 40-run opening standing. Gayle struck three consecutive sixes to Dilshan in the fourth over before Shahid Afridi put an end to his 23-run cameo in the next over. He then went on remove Simmons two balls later. The openers were the only batters to make it to double figures as the chase fell apart afterwards.

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 15 2023

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