SAUDI ARABIA GAIN SECOND WIN OF TOURNAMENT WITH EIGHT-WICKET VICTORY OVER BHUTAN

Saudi Arabia seem certain of a place in the semi-finals after beating Bhutan by eight wickets at TCG in Bangkok. Bhutan resisted well and reached 67 for 2 before being bowled out for 89 and Saudi Arabia won by eight wickets in 11 overs.

The second round of matches in Group A of the ACC T20 Challenger Cup was being played today with Saudi Arabia knowing a second win would put them close to a place in the semi-finals. They faced Bhutan in the morning match while Indonesia play Cambodia in the afternoon.

Saudi Arabia won the toss and have elected to bowl first to give a chance for their excellent bowling attack to test Bhutan’s batsmen. Bhutan lost to Indonesia by 16 runs in their opening match. Saudi Arabia’s Faisal Khan who suffered a head injury against Cambodia is sitting out as is his replacement Imran Yousaf who took three wickets with his leg-spin.

Suprit Pradhan top scored for Bhutan against Indonesia and he has been promoted to open and is trying to give his side a fast start. iIt was not not easy against opening bowlers Ishtiaq Ahmad and Atif-ur-Rehman. He hit an early boundary and was swinging hard putting his body on the line but he was run out for 10. Usman Najeeb who impressed in the first match is on and Tenjin Rabgey hit him for two fours. Bhutan were 36 for one in six overs.

Waji-ul-Hassan struck with his first ball as the fourth member of Saudi Arabia’s pace attack and Hisham Shaikh is on to bowl off-spin. Bhutan were bowled out by Saudi Arabia for 62 in the 50-over semi-final at TCG last year so this was a brave performance as Bhutan reached 48 for 2 in 10 overs.

Bhutan would have been pleased to reach 67 for two after Ranjung Dorji hit two lovely sixes but this is a formidable attack and wickets began to fall in a rush.

Usman Najeeb took the key wicket of Thinley Jamtsho but left-arm spinner Usman Khalid did most of the damage with four wickets in two overs.

Ishtiaq Ahmad finished off the innings at 89 with the last two wickets and Saudi Arabia were looking for an early victory as they chased a target of 90.

Manan Ali and wicket keeper Haseeb Ghafoor were promoted to open the innings and the runs soon began to flow as Saudi Arabia hit 59 for no wicket in the six-over powerplay. Manan Ali hit 4 fours and 3 sixes and Haseeb Ghafoor supported him with a four and a six. Manan Ali and wicket keeper

Saudi Arabia were 77 for no wicket after eight overs and Ghafoor was catching Manan and it was Manan Ali who was the first wicket to fall for 40 from 19 balls. Four runs came off the ninth over as new batsman Zubair had to find his feet but he was run out in the next over.

Saudi Arabia could not win inside 10 overs but Haseeb Ghafoor ensured they won by eight wickets on as they reached 93 for 2 in 11 overs.

Haseeb Ghafoor finished on 47 from 40 balls with 3 fours and 3 sixes. The player of the match was given to left-arm spinner Usman Khalid for figures of 4 for 6 in 2 overs.

Saudi Arabia have surely claimed a place in the semi-finals with two outstanding victories and a vastly superior net run-rate.