ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2018, Super Sixes - Day 1 Round up

After a break of two days, the action resumed in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2018. The stage was set for the Super Sixes to begin. The top six sides are now set to lock horns to compete for the semi-final spots. At the very same time, the other sides, who failed to make it to the Super Sixes, will be facing off against one another for the final finish playoff games.

The first day after the league stages saw two Super Sixes encounter take place and two playoff matches were played as well. In the Super Sixes, the pre-tournament favorites Afghanistan and West Indies met at the Harare Sports Club. While Windies were dominant in the league stages, Afghanistan just got luck to make it through to the Super Sixes.

In the other Super Sixes match, Scotland faced off against the UAE. Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea took on Nepal in one playoff game, and the Netherlands locked horns against Hong Kong in the other playoff game on the day. Here is how the action unfolded in each game:

Windies vs Afghanistan, Super Sixes Match 1

Afghanistan ride on their luck to pip Windies

Team Afghanistan have started to pick up just at the right time in the tournament. After managing to scrape through to the Super Sixes of the World Cup Qualifiers, they have managed to beat the heavyweights Windies in a crucial encounter. Yet again, they were lucky to have won the narrowly contested game. Windies, after batting first, could only post 197/8 in their 50 overs.

After a sluggish start, the innings saw a rebuild by Marlon Samuels (36) and Shai Hope (43). Jason Holder tried to give some impetus to the innings with his 26-ball 28 but the team failed to cross the 200-run mark. Mujeeb Rahman was the pick of the bowlers for Afghanistan with 3/33 to his name. In the run chase, Afghanistan lost their openers early.

It was Rahmat Shah’s 68 that the innings saw itself take a move on. Mohammad Nabi also chipped in with 31 before a middle-order collapse saw the side falling from 132/3 to 168/6. In the end, skipper Rashid Khan (13*) ensured that his side went over the line with 7 wickets in hand. The opposition skipper, Jason Holder, finished with 3/39 to his name in the losing cause.

Brief Scores:

Windies 197/8 in 50 overs (Shai Hope 43, Samuels 36, Mujeeb 3/33, Nabi 2/43)

Afghanistan 198/7 in 47.4 overs (Rahmat 68, Nabi 31, Holder 3/39, Keemo 2/29)

Player of the Match: Mujeeb Rahman

United Arab Emirates vs Scotland, Super Sixes Match 2

Cross, MacLeod guide Scotland to an easy win

The Super Sixes encounter between Scotland and the UAE was a one-sided affair. Scotland, after having won the toss, opted to bat first on a track that looked like a batting belter. Scotland got off to a flying start with openers Matthew Cross and Kyle Coetzer adding 68 runs for the first wicket. After Coetzer’s dismissal on 43, the in-form Calum MacLeod continued his good show with the bat.

A fine 78 off 79 deliveries from him, combined with Cross’ 114 off 135 deliveries put the Scots in a commanding position. The two added 161 runs before Zahoor Khan dismissed MacLeod. Towards the end, Richie Berrington hit a quick unbeaten 37 (21) and George Munsey came up with 30 (14) to propel the team total to 322/6 in 50 overs. UAE skipper Rohan Mustafa managed to pick 4/56 owing to his late strikes in the game.

In the run chase, UAE got off to a decent start with openers Mustafa and Ashfaq Ahmed scoring in 30s. However, the team slumped to 117/6 at one stage in the game. Muhammad Usman (80) and Ahmed Raza (50) then added a 105-run stand for the 7th wicket to keep their team interested in the run chase. However, the ask was a little too much in the end. Chris Sole bagged 4/68 as UAE bundled out for 249 in 47.4 overs. Scotland won by 73 runs.

Brief Scores:

Scotland 322/6 in 50 overs (Cross 114, MacLeod 78, Mustafa 4/56, Haider 1/56)

UAE 249/10 in 47.4 overs (Usman 80, Raza 50*, Sole 4/68, Sharif 2/36)

Player of the Match: Matthew Cross

Netherlands vs Hong Kong, 21st Match Play off

Netherlands seal the low scoring encounter against Hong Kong

The World Cup Qualifiers playoff game between Netherlands and Hong Kong turned out to be a low scoring game. Netherlands, after electing to bat first, looked in good control of the game riding on opener Max ODowd’s crisp 62 off 71 deliveries. But no other batsman around ODowd could get runs easily.

Skipper Peter Borren (31) and Bas de Leede (29) provided brief resistance before the wickets fell in a heap for the Dutch. Nadeem Ahmed scalped 3/20 in his 10 overs to lead the charge for HK. Meanwhile, Tanwir Afzal and Ehsan Khan bagged two wickets each to ensure that Netherlands were bowled out for 174 inside 49 overs.

In the run chase, Hong Kong lost both their openers early in the game. Skipper Babar Hayat played a decent knock of 52 in the match to keep HK interested. But the Dutch bowlers were good enough to bundle out HK for 130. Roelof van der Merwe finished with figures of 4/18 for the Dutch side.

Brief Scores

Netherland 174/10 in 48.2 overs (ODowd 62, Borren 31, Nadeem 3/20, Ehsan 2/30)

Hong Kong 130/10 in 43 overs (Babar Hayat 52, Kinchit 22, Van der Merwe 4/18, Klaassen 2/30)

Player of the Match: Max ODowd

Papua New Guinea vs Nepal, 22nd Match Play off

Airee’s all-round show takes Nepal home

In the game at the Old Hararians Sports Club, Nepal skipper Paras Khadka won the toss and opted to bowl first. His move proved to be an ideal one with the Nepalese bowlers stepping up to the occasion. None of the PNG batsman showed resilience at the crease as the wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals.

No batsman could cross the 20-run mark and that pretty much sums up the story for the PNG side. Sandeep Lamichhane’s spin in the middle overs proved to be too tricky to handle for them. Also, Dipendra Singh Airee managed to clean up the tail in quick time. Both Airee and Lamichhane scalped four wickets each to bundle out PNG for just 114.

In the run chase, Nepal lost both their openers within the third over of the chase. It was Airee who played the counter attack with an unbeaten 50 off 58 deliveries to help Nepal win this playoff game at the ICC World Cup Qualifiers.

Brief Scores

Papua New Guinea 114/10 in 27.2 overs (Charles Amini 19, Jason Kila 15, Airee 4/14, Lamichhane 4/29)

Nepal 115/4 in 23 overs (Airee 50*, A Sheikh 26, Norman Vanua 2/25, John Reva 1/10)

Player of the Match: Dipendra Singh Airee

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