By Tim Douglas 
The Eastern Europe Cup 2025 kicked off in Szodliget with two exciting contests. In the opening clash, Serbia registered a six-wicket victory over hosts Hungary, while in the second match, Zahir Mohammed’s explosive 85 powered Hungary to a thrilling last-ball win against Croatia.
Match 1: Hungary vs Serbia – Luka Woods anchors Serbia’s successful chase
Result: Serbia won by 6 wickets | HUN 123 (19.1 ov) vs SRB 124/4 (16.5 ov)
Hungary, after electing to bat, managed 123 all out in 19.1 overs. Zahir Mohammed (40 off 21) gave them a rapid start, while Muhammad Soban (24 off 31) tried to stabilize. However, Mark Pavlovic (3/12) and Wintley Burton (2/19) restricted Hungary to a below-par total.
Serbia’s chase got off to a shaky start at 8/2, but Luka Woods (54 off 40)* and Leslie Dunbar (25 off 29) rebuilt the innings. Later, Burton (20 off 13) added quick runs before Pavlovic (4*) sealed the win with 19 balls to spare.
Match 2: Hungary vs Croatia – Zahir Mohammed’s brilliance seals last-ball thriller
Result: Hungary won by 4 wickets | CRO 180/2 (20 ov) vs HUN 181/6 (20 ov)
Croatia posted a challenging 180/2 on the back of Sam Houghton’s superb 88 off 54 balls and Charles Bevin’s 44 off 39. Their partnership laid a strong platform, with Saghar Manzoor (30* off 20) finishing the innings in style.
In reply, Hungary’s chase was dominated by Zahir Mohammed, who smashed 85 off just 42 balls, including 8 sixes. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Hungary held their nerve. Amal Jacob (31 off 21) played a crucial supporting hand, while Ahmed Khan (10 off 7)* kept calm in the tense final moments.
Hungary reached the target off the very last ball, sparking celebrations among the home fans. Zahir Mohammed was named Player of the Match.
Eastern Europe Cup 2025 Day 1
- Serbia (124/4) beat Hungary (123) by 6 wickets.
- Hungary (181/6) beat Croatia (180/2) by 4 wickets.
With these results, Serbia opened their account strongly, while Hungary bounced back brilliantly in their second match to stay in contention.
Himadullah Sohoo 
Victoria Hamilton