ISLAMABAD: Bagh Stallions edged out Shoaib Malik’s Mirpur Royals by 15 runs to stay at the top of the Kashmir Premier League (KPL) points table following day’s opening match on Sunday.
Stallions smashed 211-6, the highest aggregate score of the tournament so far with Royals managing 196-8 at the end of 20 overs.
For Stallions, Shan Masood (78) and Asad Shafiq (54) got going in an emphatic way. Rohail Nazir (36) and man-of-the-match Aamir Yamin (30) then put the icing on the cake to take the score to over 200 mark. Salman Arshad (3-47) was the pick of bowlers for the Royals.
Mohammad Iklaq (68) and Sharjeel Khan (57) kept Royals in the hunt but it was asking too much as the runs kept on increasingly throughout. Ultimately Mirpur Royals were restricted to 196 for 8 with pacers Mohammad Imran (2-23) and Umad Asif (2-36) making it difficult for Royals to cross 200.
Earlier, Usma Mir (3-18) powered Muzaffarabad Tigers beat Overseas Warriors by seven wickets late Saturday evening.
Warriors hit up 153 for 8 in 20 over with Tigers reaching the target in 18th over with seven wickets to spare.
Sohaib Maqsood (52 not out) and Sohail Akhtar (58) was dominant with the bat for Tigers. Sohaib Maqsood 38-ball knock was studded with four boundaries and two sixes. Sohail Akhtar looked in a hurry as he played an extraordinary inning of 58 off just 24 balls. Kamran Ghulam (2-32) bowled well for the Warriors.
A brilliant display of leg-spin bowling from Usama Mir then helped the Tigers win their opening match.
For Overseas Warriors, Nasir Nawaz (35) and Haider Ali (25) put up good show earlier but were reduced to 77 for 6 at the start of 11th over. Imad Wasim’s 34 and Sohail Khan’s 26 runs cameos at the back end of the innings helped Overseas Warriors post 153-8 in 20 overs. Usama Mir showed his skills as a quality leg-spinner, picking up 3-18 runs. Arshad Iqbal also sent two players back to the pavilion.