Bashar XI 92/5 in 8 Overs (Rauf 24, Abdul 23, Abdul Rauf 1/16) defeated Army Sports Khargone 77/7 in 8 overs (Sattar 26, Ismail 18, Rauf 2/12)
A quickfire 8 over format, 4 days and 19 games. We are talking about the Khatri Premier League organized at Lovers Ground, Shahpura in the State of Madhya Pradesh. The four, day tournament is an example of popularity that tennis ball cricket is gaining through the platform of Cricheeros. The tournament was followed by 26586 people on the app. The excitement experienced during the tournament can be felt simply by looking at the points table. While Aman Sports topped the table, four teams were tied on four points each and the semi finalists could only be decided on Net run rate.
Tennis ball cricket tournament usually has no favorites. While Bashar XI finished second on the points table, Army Sports Khargone registered highest total of the tournament (Their 108/7 against Khatri Capitals was the only score of hundred or above at the tournament). The final began with ASK sending in Bashar XI to bat first after winning the toss.
Abdul and Ibrahim got off to a quick start but a mix up ended up giving ASK their first wicket. As you would expect, there were wickets after every fifteen or twenty runs but the scoring rate never went down. Rauf Kukshi smoked 24 of just 9 balls as Bashar XI racked up 47 runs off last three overs to set a target of 93 for the ASK.
If we compare both the innings, we will notice that ASK were going head to head till the 6th over in terms of run rate. The required run rate was under control and they never looked like losing the contest till 6th over when they were 61 for the loss of just one wicket. This is where ASK inning nosedived. Between sixth and eight over, they lost 6 wickets and were able to manage only 16 runs. None of the batsmen could either accelerate as they struggled massively to clear the fence against crafty Bashar XI bowlers.
