The opening match of the Shpageeza Cricket League 2024 saw Band-e-Amir Dragons emerge victorious over Speen Ghar Tigers by 19 runs. After being sent in to bat first by the Tigers, Band-e-Amir Dragons posted a competitive total of 167/6 in their 20 overs. Sediqullah Atal was the star with the bat, scoring a crucial 69 off 46 balls, supported by Karim Janat’s 34 off 25 balls. The Tigers’ bowlers had their moments, with Zahir Khan leading the attack with 3/31, and Ismat Alam chipping in with 1/33.
Speen Ghar Tigers, chasing 168 for victory, got off to a decent start, but the Dragons’ bowling attack proved too strong. Bahir Shah top-scored with 38 off 25 balls, while Hassan Eisakhil added 24 off 20 balls. However, it was AM Ghazanfar’s exceptional spell of 3/11 in 4 overs that crippled the Tigers’ chase, along with Amir Hamza’s 3/21. The Tigers ended their innings at 148/9, falling short by 19 runs.
Key Moments:
- Sediqullah Atal’s 69 off 46 balls laid a solid foundation for Band-e-Amir Dragons’ total.
- AM Ghazanfar’s brilliant spell of 3/11 was instrumental in restricting Speen Ghar Tigers and earning him the Player of the Match award.
- Ismat Alam set a new record for most catches by a fielder in T20s with 8 catches, surpassing Usman Ghani’s previous record of 7.
Player of the Match: AM Ghazanfar for his match-winning bowling performance, taking 3 wickets for just 11 runs, effectively sealing the game for Band-e-Amir Dragons.
