Kowloon CC beat United Services by nine-wickets on match day five of the Hong Kong Men’s Premier League T20 tournament, confirming a grand final date with table toppers Hong Kong CC. Hong Kong CC remained unbeaten courtesy of a 10-run win over Diasqua LSWCC, which also ruled the latter out of contention for a spot in the final on run rate.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, United Services lost their first five wickets in the first 18 balls of the match, Jason Davidson and Aizaz Khan doing the damage. Davidson finished with remarkable figures of 5-7 off 3.4 overs.
Waqas Khan (16 off 30 balls) and Zakir Hayat (36 off 43 balls) attempted to string together a partnership, but after Khan fell to the returning Daniel Pascoe (1-10 off four overs), United Services’ innings folded for a measly 74 all out, 16 extras inflating the total significantly.
Kowloon CC’s response was swift and brutal, marked by eight sixes from Babar Hayat, who scored 61 not out off 36 balls, in an opening partnership with Aizaz Khan in which the latter scored 1 off 20 balls. National team leg-spinner Mohammad Ghazanfar returned remarkable figures of 1-7 off 3 overs under the circumstances, but Kowloon CC cruised home in the eleventh over.
Elsewhere, Diasqua LSWCC needed a big win to stay in contention, but fell short after restricting Hong Kong CC to 104 all out. Veterans Munir Dar (3-8) and Ehsan Khan (1-11) bowled eight overs for 19 runs between them, snaring four wickets, including the prized scalp of Nizakat Khan. Only Ninad Shah (30 off 16 balls) and Adit Gorawara (23 off 28 balls) made scores of substance.
At 47-2, Diasqua were heading towards a comfortable victory, but a two-wicket over from Nizakat (2-16 off four overs) accounted for the set Mohammad Ibraheem, and Diasqua struggled to maintain any momentum in the chase thereafter, ultimately folding for 94/9 in their 20 overs. Kinchit Shah (2-23 off four overs) and Eliot Scrivener (0-11 off 4 overs) built crucial pressure through the chase.
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