Twitter Reactions: Northern Warriors romp past spirited Pakhtoons to claim championship

A lot was expected from the final of the T10 League between Pakhtoons and Northern Warriors and the match didn’t let the audience down. The encounter at Sharjah Cricket Stadium was an exciting one and in the end, it was the Warriors who beat their opponent by 22 runs. Moreover, the team, captained by the dynamic Darren Sammy, also won the championship for the maiden time.

Russell and Powell power Warriors

The Pakhtoons got off to a decent start after winning the toss as Pakistani speedster Mohammad Irfan got rid of Lendl Simmons in his very first ball. However, Nicholas Pooran scored 18 from 10 balls with one boundary and a couple of sixes. Afghanistan spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf removed him in the fourth over. However, Rovman Powell and Andre Russell took the bowling by the scruff of their necks.

Powell, initially, took time to get going but came into his own as his knock progressed. Andre Russell went berserk and racked up 38 runs from 12 balls with three fours and four sixes. Skipper Shahid Afridi got rid of the hulk-like Jamaican in the seventh over. Powell carried on and raced away to 61 runs from 25 balls with eight fours and four sixes. The Warriors ended their innings on 140 in their allotted 20 overs.

Warriors win comfortably

In pursuit of the massive score, Pakhtoons lost their first wicket for 13 as off-break bowler Chris Green rattled Cameron Delport’s woodwork. Following the dismissal, Andre Fletcher came out all guns blazing and carted the bowling to score 37 runs from 18 balls. Just when it seemed as if he would take Pakhtoons to the brink of victory, Green got rid of the ominous-looking Windies batsman.

The onus was thereafter on Shafiqullah Shafiq and Afridi to guide their team home. Afridi cleared the roped a couple of times, but Hardus Viljoen rattled his woodwork. The speedster removed Colin Ingram for a duck in the next ball courtesy of a sharp catch from Pooran, running backwards. A few late wickets didn’t allow the Pakhtoons to press the accelerator and they fell way short of the target.

Here is how Twitter reacted

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