Darwin (SBR): Abdul Samad’s unbeaten 110 off 63 balls helped Pakistan Shaheens bag their second win in the Top End T20 Series as they beat Melbourne Renegades by 73 runs here at the TIO Stadium in Darwin on Monday evening.
Pakistan Shaheens will face Chicago Kingsmen in their next fixture on Tuesday with the first ball expected to be bowled at 1pm local time.
Shaheens dismissed Renegades for 105 in 19.2 overs after posting 178-5 in their allotted 20 overs on the back of Samad’s 56-ball century. The right hander walked in to bat in the first over and found Shaheens reeling at 2-2 as both opening batters returned for ducks.
Samad stitched a 32-run stand with Mohammad Faiq (21, 18b, 2x4s, 1x6) before the latter fell in the seventh over, while Maaz Sadaqat followed him in the 10th over with the scorecard reading 55-4.
From thereon, Samad and skipper Mohammad Irfan Khan put on a game-changing 109-run stand. Samad struck six fours and as many sixes during his unbeaten stay at the crease, while Irfan returned for a run-a-ball 23 comprising one four and a solitary six.
For Renegades, Oliver Peake, Fergus O’Neill, Will Sutherland, Callum Stow and Michael Archer picked up one wicket each.
In turn, Renegades slid to 66-8 and then 105 all out after being 25-1. Apart from opening batter Josh Brown (36, 30b, 5x4s, 1x6) none of the top eight batters entered double figures.
Xavier Crone (11, 17b), Callum Stow (15, 16b, 1x4) and Michael Archer (14 not out 19b) pushed their team past the 100-run mar batting at no.9, 10 and 11, respectively.
For Shaheens, Maaz Sadaqat returned figures of 4-0-22-3, while Faisal Akram backed up his five-for from previous game with 2-19 in four overs. Mubasir Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Ubaid Shah and Saad Masood dismissed one batter each.
Scores in brief:
Pakistan Shaheens beat Melbourne Renegades by 73 runs at the TIO Stadium, Darwin
Pakistan Shaheens 178-5, 20 overs (Abdul Samad 110, Muhammad Irfan Khan 23, Mohammad Faiq 21; Oliver Peake 1-12)
Melbourne Renegades 105 all out, 19.2 overs (Josh Brown 36; Maaz Sadaqat 3-22, Faisal Akrram
Player of the match – Abdul Samad (Pakistan Shaheens)
Pakistan Shaheens’ Top End T20 schedule:
14 Aug – Pakistan Shaheen won by 79 runs
16 Aug – Perth Scorchers won by two wickets
18 Aug – Pakistan Shaheens won by 73 runs
19 Aug – vs Kingsmen, DXC Arena (1pm local time)
20 Aug – vs Strikers, DXC Arena (7pm local time)
22 Aug – vs Nepal, DXC Arena (7pm local time)
